Plain and simple Judy Hopps
by Ughdar
Summary: Set in late 1800 Zootopia society. Orphaned as a child and treated cruelly by her Aunt, Judy Hopps grows up knowing little kindness. Sent away, Judy later accepts a position as a governess at a manor whose master is hiding a dark secret within its very walls.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - Set in late 1800 Zootopia society. Orphaned as a child and treated cruelly by her Aunt, Judy Hopps grows up knowing little kindness. Sent away, Judy later accepts a position as a governess at a manor whose master is hiding a dark secret within its very walls.**

In the darkness of the early morning a young female bunny searched vigorously among the many possessions arranged carefully around her room. Carefully listening, the young female slowly exited her dark room, wearing a simple plain gray dress. Turning silently, cautiously, she began making her way along the main gallery and down a set of grand stairs. Halting, just shy of the main doors, the young bunny, unwilling to allow emotions to cloud her full resolve, held tightly a small velvet bag, cradled tightly to her chest. Reaching out with her paw, clasping the door's wrought iron handle, she stepped out into the frigid early morning.

Hastily she made her way down the long stretches of earth, her eyes desperately searching along the distant landscape. Suddenly turning, her gray fur slightly numb from the frigid morning dew, her lavender eyes quickly caught sight of a large black shape laying in distance. Turning back slightly, her eyes glancing back, she carefully and quickly observed the distant manor houses' many lightless windows for any signs of movement. Her ears now fully erect searched for any sounds of approaching individuals, her breath vaporizing in the morning air.

Reaching the high wrought iron fence line, the young bunny, as she had many times before, scanned the meadow lands laying beyond the walls. Breathing deeply, she quickly began to rush across the meadow lands. Breathless from her uncontrollable need for escape, her grey cheeks flushed as she continued across the wild lands. By midday, reaching a small stile along a narrow embankment, she began to lift herself up, emerging on to an isolated roadway. Stepping firmly onto the road she quickened her pace once more, her destination unknown.

By early evening, exhausted and disheartened, the young bunny shaking slightly stood below a stone whitewashed pillar. Situated along four intersecting roads, stretched by fields of wild growth, the young bunny tirelessly looked out amongst the wide open fields. Alone and lost she gently reached into her small velvet bag and withdrew a simple black cloak, draping it around her shoulders. Dismay falling upon her, cold and hungry, she began to step cautiously off the solitary road. Reaching the open fields, she continued to press forward, darkness slowly gathering above her. It was at this moment despair began to overcome the young bunny, her emotions breaking, held as if by a mighty dam, slowly began to crack. Unable to hold back any longer, she began to cry out in grief.

Waking suddenly to a thunderous roar, she opened her eyes. Huddling along the ground, her cloak draped over her body, she pressed tightly between a solitary elm tree and a short meadow stone wall.

Her paws, shaking slightly from the cold morning wind, slowly began to feel the light drops of rain begin to fall from above the elm trees branches. Raising warily, leaving her past nightly sanctuary, she began to slowly stagger away along the fielded paths and approaching storm.

By late evening, through the lashing of rain and mud, the young bunny struggled to keep moving, exhaustion settling over her mud-covered body quickly. Faintly, raising her head, rain and wind beating down on her face, sudden flashes quickly began to illuminate the sky. Glancing painfully into the distance a stone cottage quickly became illuminated along the side of barren field. Staggering cautiously to the cottage, breathless and cold, the young bunny began to knock vigorously on the hard wooden door.

Within a few seconds, an old female badger opened the door slightly and peered out into the heavy storm, light from within illuminating Judy's dirty features only slightly. "I can't take in any beggars here. You most move off." the elderly badger said quickly. "If there are more of you, tell them I am not alone. We have a gentleman here staying with us." The badger called out quickly closing the door.

"But…" the young bunny, unable to find her voice quickly enough, watched as the door closed before her. Crying out as she slowly turned away, returning back into the increasing darkness, her exhaustion overcoming her finally, she felt her body collapsing toward the ground. "God, help me!" the bunny cried out with one last breath.

Falling to the ground, she was suddenly being supported by a pair of strong dark hands. Lifting her head toward the rain filled sky, she found herself looking into the face a handsome dark male bunny. Lifting her carefully up in his arms he, with all haste, turned back and reentered the cottage.

"John?" a female voice quickly called out. A light brown bunny, quickly rising from her chair with her ears raised slightly, began advancing toward the dark haired bunny. Reaching John, her eyes suddenly fell on the heavily soaked gray bunny draped in his arms.

"She was outside just past the door Diana." John said looking up at Diana. "Where is Mary?"

"I'm coming John," Mary called from overhead. "What is the…" Stopping just shy of the stair landing, a white and grey bunny looked in horror as her eyes fell on her brother and sister. "Who is this?" She asked rushing down, gazing at soaked body of the female bunny with worried eyes. "She's white as death John. Quickly! Bring her over here to the fire."

John, quickly adjusting her in his arms, walked with his two sisters toward the hearth. Setting the young bunny down softly next to the fire in a high backed chair, John took a few steps back and allowed his two sisters to quickly attend to her. Turning, he started moving swiftly toward Hannah, the elderly badger, who had first answered the door, his face worrisome. "What happened?" John began to call out.

"I am sorry sir, I thought, maybe, she was a danger to us all." Hannah quickly began to apologize. "I was scared Mr. Reed, that's all."

"Hannah, go get some water from the kitchen, quickly please." John said motioning to the elderly badger. Immediately the elderly badger rushed off toward the kitchen door.

Extending a small wooden chair from a small dining room table John sat down, watching his two sisters hovering over the soaked gray bunny. Mary, her paws shaking slightly, softly began to untie the young bunny's cloak from around her shoulders, hanging it near the fire. "Diana, can you go fetch me a towel and one of my nightdresses from upstairs please." Mary asked turning to her sister.

Diana, rushing past John, turned to him, "John, her soul would have haunted us if you had not found her when you did. We would had found her corpse in the morning. I do not think neither she nor ourselves are in any serious danger from one another. I am quite sure of that."

"Mr. Rivers, here is the water you asked for." Hannah said, handing John a small cup.

"Thank you Hannah." John said to the badger, getting up from his chair. Holding the small cup firmly in his hand, John began to walk over to his sister Mary, listening.

"My dear." Mary calling softly to young bunny, lightly grasping her paw. "Please, can you hear me?"

Slowly opening her eyes the young bunny gasped as she suddenly felt the touch of Mary's paw on her, fear quickly overcoming her as she starred at her unknown surroundings.

"My dear, please do not be afraid." Mary said softly, placing another paw on Judy's shoulder. "My name is Mary Rivers." The young bunny quickly glanced up at the dark haired bunny, then back to the white and gray bunny holding her shoulder. "My brother John…" she motioned to the dark haired bunny standing on her left, "…he found you and brought you inside. You need to drink something, please. You are safe now my dear."

Slowly, her paw unsteady, she took the cup and fully, slowly and carefully she began to drink. Coughing slightly, her dry throat felt the cool water. Wordlessly, the young lady tried to thank Mary and John for their kindness. Mary, kneeing down along the chair, watched carefully as she continued to drink. "Ask what her name is?" the young lady softly heard John ask his sister.

"I… m my… Ju…" unable to voice properly, she slowly begins to lose consciousness. Her eyes quickly fell upon a frightened young gray bunny not older than ten, clutching a solitary book, quickly running down a dark corridor. Turning her head, watching the young child pass, the young bunny's ears fell slightly, suddenly heard a loud voice erupt from her head, "Judy Hopps! Where are you?" Looking up at John and Mary in an imploring tone, Judy's eyes full of fear, "Must hide…" Judy hyperventilated as unconsciousness finally overcome her.

"Diana, quickly!" Mary quickly shouted toward the stairway.

Diana, quickly descending the second floor, entered the room with a large towel advancing toward Mary and John as they both supported an unconscious Judy. "John, Mary and I need to get her upstairs and out of these wet clothes quickly. Go tell Hannah to please make a pot of carrot tea, have it brought up as soon as possible."


	2. Chapter 2

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 2

"Where are you, you little rat?" The voice of Judy's cousin, Johnathan Reed began calling out.

A ten year old bunny, her gray noise twitching vigorously, breathed heavily as she ran down the long, dark corridor. Searching frantically, a small leather bound book clutched in her paws, Judy, thinking quickly, turned down a side corridor she had come to know very well. Lessening her pace, reaching the end of the corridor, a large oak door, firm and tall, stood open. Stopping just shy of the door, her ears extended listened frantically. Judy, without haste, entered what was her late uncle's private library.

The library, its many dusty books along finely carved bookcases, shined brightly in the late afternoon sun. The entire length of the room gleamed brightly through four high vaulted windows. Judy, quickly dashing toward the nearest windowsill, enclosed herself in one of the room's six long, burgundy curtains that hung heavily along each side of the grand windows.

Judy's cousin, Johnathan, arrived minutes later at the library door entrance carrying a short fencing sword. "I know you're here." he called out softly, entering the room with a profound bounce. Slowly, relishing in the hunt, he drew his sword, observing the library's lavish interior furnishings. Not wanting to make the slightest sound, Judy watched breathlessly through a small slit within the curtain as her hateful cousin slowly stepped past where she was hiding. "If you come out now, little rat, and ask me for your forgiveness…" Johnathan called out joyfully reaching the center of the room, turning slowly around in a circle. "I might consider granting it."

Continuing to observe her cousin from behind the curtain, Judy watched as he began to take a few lunges forward with his sword. Without any regard or respect for his late father's possessions, she watched fearfully the actions of her cousin's cruel mind. Walking over to the vaulted window next to her, with his sword in hand, began stabbing a blue patterned high back chair, once, twice, three times. Finally, quickly turning, with one hard wipe of the blade, he knocked a stack of books off the side table next to Judy, ripping the curtain slightly.

"Johnathan my dear, is that you making all that noise in the library?" Judy's aunt's high voice quickly spoke out for an adjoining room.

"Yes mother, I am just here to…looking for a book of mine." Johnathan answered back, hastily.

"Come inside the sitting room here, I have something for you."

Judy, taking a slow breath of relief, watched as her cousin turned and walked into the adjoining room. Lowering the solitary book still clutched tightly in her arms she began turning through the pages. Full of beautifully drawn landscapes, she marveled over each one, slowly running her left paw along the lines of each drawings.

Suddenly, feeling a strong tug along the curtain, Judy let out a slight gasp as her eyes fearfully fell on her cousin Johnathan standing in front of her.

"That is my book, you little rat!" Johnathan called out violently, reaching out to grab the book.

"This belonged to my Uncle, not you!" Judy cried back equally.

"My father is dead, which means what was his is now mine." Johnathan replied. Hearing Judy speak to him in such a manner, sensing her defiance, he violently stuck her across the face with the back of his paw and grabbed the book now held lightly in her paws.

Hitting her head along the window clasp, Judy collapsed onto the floor, raising a shaking paw to the back of her head. Looking down, she quickly saw she was bleeding. Turing back toward her cousin, rage in her eyes, she immediately threw herself upon him. Laying on top of her cousin, with all the energy available, she began clawing and punching every inch of him. "I hate you Johnathan! I hate you!" Judy began shouting.

"Mother…Mother!" Johnathan began to cry out. Stunned by this sign of aggression on the part of his cousin, he became terrified by her forceful nature.

"Get off my son you horrible little creature, right now!" Judy's aunt, Mrs. Footerton, a tall, reddish brown bunny, began yelling out, quickly rushing into library, witnessing her son being attacked. "Bessie! Miss Abbot!"

Reaching out with her long arms, her aunt violently grabbing hold of Judy's ears, pulled her off Johnathan, leaving him crying and fidgeting on the library floor. "You wretched little mischief! Bessie, Miss Abbot, take this dangerous creature upstairs to the red room and lock her in there." Her aunt yelled out throwing her into the waiting hands of Bessie, a young gray haired rabbit maid and Miss Abbot, an elderly brown haired beaver who was the head housekeeper.

Bessie and Miss Abbot, rushing Judy out of the library, led her quickly upstairs toward an older unused corridor. Shouts and pleadings quickly broke the simple silence of the old abandoned corridor as the three mammals quickly walked along the heavy dust and webbed floor. Advancing closer to their destination, Judy began to struggle more violently, with her remaining strength, unable to break free.

Holding firmly, but with added care, to the young bunny, Bessie watched as Miss Abbot reached for her set of keys along the side of her black dress. Walking quickly and inserting a key, Miss Abbot opened the door to a large red walled bed chamber. Leading Judy through the door, Bessie and the young bunny felt the sudden drop in temperature as they entered the dark, gloomy room. Miss Abbot, lighting a solitary oil lamp upon a small rounded table, turned and motioned Judy to her.

"Sit down girl, right now!" Miss Abbot said, pointing to an old dusty moth eaten chair near the small table.

"No, please, this room is haunted, don't leave me in here, please!" Judy begged, tears falling down heavily along her cheeks.

"Sit down here girl, or I will tie you to this chair myself." Miss Abbot replied with greater force.

Looking up to the gray haired rabbit, Judy felt the rabbit's soft hand squeeze gently as she led her to the chair. Bessie, sitting her down in the chair, knelt down by her side. Reaching out with her paw, Bessie softly wiped Judy's tears from her eyes as she brushed the back of her ears showing some compassion.

"Miss Hopps, you must be careful. What we are doing is for your own good, Miss." Bessie said in a kind voice. "Your aunt will send you away if you continue like that or harm Master Johnathan."

Judy, turning toward Miss Abbot, stared into the beaver's cold, dark eyes.

"While you are here in this room, I suggest you pray for forgiveness, Miss Hopps, or something even worse than you…" Miss Abbot spoke, pointing to the large hearth. "Will come down here and carry you off our hands, you mark my words." Grabbing hold of Bessie, both turned and exited the lonely room.

From the high backed chair, Judy listened sadly as Miss Abbot, with a loud scraping of the lock, locked the door from the outside and sounds of their footsteps faded into silence. Glancing along the dark red colored walls fear began to fight her at every stare. Breathing heavily, jumping from the old moth eaten chair, she quickly raced toward the heavy door. "Please let me out, I'm sorry, please, I'm sorry." Judy began to beg into the keyhole of the door, hearing only silence. As she continued to cry out in panic and distress, her eyes quickly glanced hysterically at the stone fireplace.

Judy, noticing the sudden coldness in the room, watched fearfully as her own breath vaporized. Rushing back to the small table she quickly grabbed the oil lamp and rushed toward the large king size bedframe near the middle of the room. Setting the lamp upon the ground Judy slowly began to crawl under the bed, never taking her eyes off the stone fireplace. Raising her ears slowly, staring at its mouth, sounds of heavy breathing began to echo from within the fireplace. Through the flickering light of the oil lamp she watched fearfully as small specks of soot fell suddenly, a dark cloud emerging slowly from its mouth. "It's coming for me, god help me!" Judy quickly thought in her mind. Raising quickly to escape from under the large bed frame, her head suddenly struck the low bed frame. Falling upon the cold wood floor, she laid there unconsciously, the light of the oil lamp throwing her limp shadow along the red murky bed curtains.

Early next morning, Judy, shivering on the wood floor of the bedchamber, was suddenly woken by soft, gentle gray paws. As she slowly opened her eyes, Bessie, the house maid, glanced back down at the small gray bunny curled up on the floor.

"What are you doing down there, Miss?" Bessie asked worriedly. "Come on, I need to get you changed and take you downstairs. There is a visitor to see you, Miss." Bessie said gently holding on to Judy as she crawled out from under the dust filled floor.

"To see me, why? Who?" Judy asked softly.

Leading Judy calmly into the house's main sitting room, Bessie quickly turned, leaving her in the presence of her aunt, cousins, and a tall cape buffalo clergyman. The buffalo, dressed in black, silently began to scan the small bunny as she slowly entered the room. Taking a few steps toward the young bunny, his hooves held lightly behind his large heavy back, stopped just shy of her.

"I am Mr. Bogo, young girl. What is your name, little one?" Bogo asked in a deep, heavy voice.

"Judy Hopps, sir." Judy, feeling fearful, answered back.

"And are you a good girl, Miss Hopps?" Bogo asked in a pious manner.

From the left side of the room, Judy heard the laughter of her aunt and cousins. Both bunny and buffalo turned, glancing at them. "Perhaps a question a little more direct, Mr. Bogo. This little one can be very deceitful." Her aunt spoke, looking at Bogo with worried eyes.

"I am not deceitful!" Judy quickly cried out. "You're a liar."

"Silence, girl. You dare talk to your guardian that way." Bogo called out, raising his voice.

"You see, you see how she talks to me, to us!" Her aunt spoke quickly, holding her children tight, as if Judy was about to attack them again.

Clearing his throat, Bogo turned back toward Judy, "Do you know where, Judy Hopps, wicked mammals go after death?" Bogo asked sternly.

"Hell, sir." Judy responded.

"Tell me child", Bogo ask in a grim tone, "What is hell?"

"Hell is fire, sir." Judy responded.

"Would you, young girl, like to fall into that fire and burn forever?" Bogo starring sharply at her asked.

"No sir, I would not." Judy responded.

"Then, Miss Hopps, what must you do to avoid this from happening? Bogo asked Judy.

"I must pray for good health sir, and not die like my father and mother, sir." Judy responded.

Hearing this answer, Bogo turned to face Judy's aunt. "What family does this child have?" Bogo asked.

Judy's aunt, looking at her for a near minute, turned quickly back to face the cape buffalo. "Her mother was the sister of my late honorable husband. I was urged on his deathbed to care for the child, against my own better judgement."

Judy listened quietly as her aunt spoke such lies, revolting her.

"I have tried and tried to always treat her as if she was my own dearest child. You saw yourself how deceitful she is, her heart full of spite toward me and my own children." Judy's aunt spoke, motioning Mr. Bogo closer, showing the minor injuries Judy had inflicted on her own son. "If you accept her at Clawood, be sure to keep a sharp eye on her."

Bogo, examining the young boy, turned slowly toward Judy where she stood since entering the sitting room. Her eyes showed outrage and anger.

"My dear Mrs. Footerton, you may rest assured that at Clawood wickedness is severely punishable." Bogo said motioning to the young bunny. "If what you say is true for this young one here, we shall uproot such wickedness."

"I also insist that she spend all vacations at Clawood." Judy's aunt spoke eagerly.

Bowing kindly toward Mrs. Footerton, Mr. Bogo took his leave, turning toward the open doorway that led out of the sitting room.

As the front door shut with the departure of Mr. Bogo, Judy turned suddenly toward her aunt. "You pass me off as a liar. I have never lied to you. If I should lie to you I would say to your face that you are the kindness aunt in the world and I love you very much. You may trick mammals into believing you are good hearted, but you are not. I shall tell anyone who should ask me how you mistreated me, abused me, and locked me up inside rooms. I shall never forgive you for this."

"Children like yourself must be corrected for such hopeless faults." Judy's aunt replied.

"My mother, father, and my late dearest uncle, they know how you hate me, wish me dead. They see everything you do, and you will be judged for it in the end, dearest aunt." Judy said, speaking deep tones toward the end."

"Get out!" Her aunt screamed, turning slightly pale. "Bessie…Miss Abbot, get this…thing out of my sight, now!"


	3. Chapter 3

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 3

Two days after the meeting with the clergyman, Mr. Bogo, Judy quickly found herself being led by the maid, Bessie, through the main entrance of her aunt's manor house toward an awaiting auto car. Placing a small worn case into the auto car, Bessie turned to help the young bunny into the rear seat next to the case. "Take care of yourself young miss." Bessie spoke holding Judy's paws in hers. Bessie noticed as she spoke those words that the young bunny slowly began gazing toward a second floor room. Turning around, Bessie quickly saw what Judy was gazing up at. Judy's aunt, not wishing to be near the young bunny, glared at both bunny and rabbit. Slowly turning away from the window, her aunt disappeared into the shadows of the manor house. Bessie, turning back to Judy, gazed again at her sad eyes, "Be free from this place miss, I wish only happiness for you." Bessie said, holding a gray paw to young Judy's fur cheek, suddenly embracing her, as if by a mother.

"Thank you Bessie, I…" Judy began to speak as the maid released her.

"Bessie, get inside girl, now!" Miss Abbot called out as the elderly beaver stepped into the cold dreary morning. Quickly obeying orders, the young rabbit turned quickly retreating inside. "Miss Hopps, good day." Miss Abbot said quickly to Judy before turning to the driver. "Drive on."

Late that evening, feeling the auto care beginning to slow down, Judy began to awake, having fallen asleep just past nightfall. Laying along the rear seat, she lifted her head gently from on top of her case. Turning her gaze out long a deserted country lane, her eyes quickly fell on a neglected stone wall. Hanging from two rusted iron hangers, a wooden inscription loomed up at her. She read: _Clawood Institution for Young Ladies_.

"Miss, let me help you down." The driver said getting out and extending a thin, elderly paw toward Judy.

"Thank you sir." Judy replied. "Where are we?" Judy asked feeling a cold wind brush by her.

"We are in the far northern part of the rainforest district. Weather here can be very hard sometimes, young miss."

"Miss Judy Hopps?" A slightly high voice suddenly spoke from behind both the drive and Judy.

"Yes." Judy answered, her voice sounding slightly nervous.

Standing just outside a wrought iron fence, a short white ewe in a black cloak watched as the young bunny stepped from the auto car and advance cautiously toward her. "My name is Miss Bellwether. Follow me." She said in a stern voice, turning back toward an open gate next to the old wooden sign.

Entering the school's dormitory room from the outside grounds, Judy felt a greater sense of the cold and despair quickly hanging low along the long wooden room. The room, grand no doubt in its early years, now showed little attempt in its up keeping. Walking closely behind Miss Bellwether, she began to notice many of the beds the inhabitants were using. Glancing quickly, Judy saw with despair that two girls were expected to share a single bed.

Reaching the far end of the long dormitory, large numbers of pale, brown clothed girls of different species looked back at her. Judy, observing them with equal curiosity, noticed suddenly how patched and worn their attire was as they gathered in small groups near small fires along the large room. Their cold faces illumined by the flames looked submissive and half fed. Judy quickly thought to herself, "This must be where they send the unwanted children in this world."

"Come over here, girl." Miss Bellwether said, motioning Judy toward the last bed along the dormitory floor.

Judy, looking over her shoulder, watched the eyes of other girls as they continued to stare at this new guest.

"Take those cloths off yourself immediately." Miss Bellwether spoke, laying a simple brown dress and white nightgown on the bed by Judy's side.

Slowly, watched by her new dormitory room mates, Judy began to undress. As she removed each article of clothing, Miss Bellwether quickly grabbed each one, depositing it into a wooden box. Judy slowly began to feel, with each article of clothing, her old life was slowly being discarded.

An adult Judy slowly began to awake, her small gray body dressed in a light blue nightgown. Raising her head slowly, her eyes struggled to focus effectively. Glancing around the room she felt at odds, replaying her memories of the past night, walking in the heavy storm. Hearing a gentle tapping on a nearby door, she slowly turned as the door opened.

"Miss, may I come in?" John spoke softly, advancing slowly into the small bedroom. "Miss, may my sisters and I know your name, please?"

"My name is Judy…Reyburn." Judy spoke softly.

John, smiling at Judy, turned as two female bunnies entered the room. "Mary, Diana, our guest has finally awoken. Ladies, may I introduce you to Miss Judy Reyburn."

"Miss Reyburn, is there someone we should send for?" Mary asked worriedly.

Judy, her eyes falling slowly to the ground, simply replied, "There is no one."

"No one? "Then we insist you remain here until you have fully recovered my dear." Diana said in a kindly tone.

"Thank you, you are very kind, miss." Judy said looking up at the light brown bunny.

"Tell us, Miss Reyburn, what made you travel on foot in such a heavy storm?" John asked looking down at Judy.

Judy, listened to the name she had just given and it sounded so foreign in her ears. Closing her eyes she asked herself silently, "Why did I say that name?

"Miss Reyburn?" John said again.

Opening her eyes, she slowly glanced at all three bunnies before her. "That is not my real name, sir."

"You did not give us your real name miss." John asked. "Why did you do this?"

"I wish never to be found, sir." Judy spoke. She watched as both female bunnies suddenly glanced at each other.

 ** _One week later_**

Through an upstairs window, Judy watched as the morning sun slowly begin to rise over the distant hills. Her strength recovering, she slowly began to dress herself, holding the back of a chair weakly as a means of support. As she finished dressing herself, she slowly began to descend the cottage's narrow staircase. Her gracious hosts' voices, coming happily from the dining room table, quickly began to raise her spirit as she smiled toward them.

"My dear Judy, it's so wonderful seeing you moving around." Mary said looking up and seeing Judy on the banister. "We were just discussing you, Diana and I, this morning, about the past week. When John brought you in from that storm, you were so ill and weak, all of us feared the worst."

"I am so sorry to have caused all of you so much trouble, arriving at your doorstep as I was." Judy spoke, a slight feeling of guilt spreading over her.

"Nonsense, Miss Reyburn, it was our pleasure." Diana spoke, returning a warm smile.

"I have to say, your arrival has been the most exciting thing to happen around here, I think…" Mary stopped talking, turning slightly, staring at John as he read the Zootopia Herald near a warm fire. "Since the time John here gave that sermon about sexuality and modesty." Both Mary and Diana began to laugh silently.

Judy, smiling once more, turned her attention to John as he sat near the fire. "I do not wish to be a burden on your expenses for much longer, Mr. Rivers." Judy said, taking a seat at the small dining table.

Closing his paper, John turned and starred up at Judy from his chair. "Is our hospitality becoming that dull?" John spoke jokingly. "Please, do not worry yourself, Miss Reyburn. You are truly welcome to stay here as long as you wish."

"Thank you, all of you for this kindness." Judy spoke turning back to the two sisters than back to John. "But I would like to earn my keep, if I may. Is there any employment here in these parts?"

"My dear, you are still not fit enough to work" Mary said turning to Diana. "Diana, is she…"

"Please Miss Reyburn, do not worry yourself. Mary and I will ensure you take things slow." Diana said, interrupting her sister Mary.

"Mary and Diana" John said rising from his solitary chair. "Must I remind you, next month you both will be leaving? What will Miss Reyburn do then with you both gone?" Turning to Judy, John smiled once more. "If you wish Miss Reyburn, I will more than happily assist you in finding some form of employment."

"Thank you sir." Judy replied, returning his smile then turning to both sisters, "I cannot begin to say how much kindness each of you have given me these past few days."

"Tell us Miss Reyburn, the school you talked about last night, the one you went when you were a child." John asked. "You said it was a charitable institution, am I right? What did it prepare you for precisely? Was it a thorough education?"

Judy's eyes quickly fell as memories of Clawood slowly began to manifest before her. "Extremely thorough, Mr. Rivers." Judy replied as she remembered a thin, heavy stick quickly being brought down on the flesh of a young child. Judy suddenly flinched at this memory.

Judy along with the rest of the school watched in fear as Miss Bellwether was punishing the young fawn.

"Glenn!" Miss Bellwether shouted as she struck the fawn on the back of the neck, bitterness erupting from her voice. "You are a dirty, disgraceful little child."

Three…four…five, Judy continued to watched, completely horrified. As she did, she quickly noticed one thing about the young fawn known to her as Helen. She was not crying, but was in, what Judy thought, a trance. This showing of resilience, where the fawn's inner strength helped her to endure the pain, deeply impressed Judy.

In the months that followed since her arrival, colder weather began approaching. Judy and her school mates were forced to remain outside during the bitter cold mornings for long periods of time. A light layer of frost from the prior night's cold weather would remain until almost mid-day, causing the shoes many of the girls wore to become soaked. As Judy wandered amongst many in her classes, a great number she watched would try to huddle by the old school house building, struggling to keep the wind off them. Turning toward the dormitory's front steps Judy quickly caught sight of the young fawn, Helen.

"Excuse me, Helen, correct? My name is Judy, Judy Hopps" Judy spoke slowly approaching Helen. "Can I ask you a question? How do you bear the punishments they inflict on you?"

Helen simply smiled at Judy. "Miss Bellwether wishes to improve me, so she tortures me."

"Why not simply grab and break it in half?" Judy asked looking at Helen.

"She would simply find another stick." Helen replied back. "My father, when he was alive, used to tell me how life was so short, and that one must not spend such a short life nurturing hatred."

"Growing up, I was despised by my cousins and aunt." Judy spoke, taking a seat next to Helen. "I will never be loved. Love died with my parents. No one wants or cares for me anymore to love me again."

"But you are loved Judy." Helen said glancing up into the crisp morning air, smiling again. "All around you there is a kingdom of spirits, commissioned to guard and bestow love every day."

Glancing through the schools inner courtyard, her ears fully erect, Judy listened carefully for the sounds of these spirits, hoping. "I don't hear anything." Judy said, looking at Helen. Helen, smiling, reached over and wrapped her slender arms around Judy. "I will teach you how." From that day, Helen and Judy were as best of friends as anyone who saw them together could be.

Nearing her first year at Clawood, Judy came to find many of the teachers at Clawood to be heartless and cruel. Each bestowing their own harsh disciplinary actions for minor offences. But Judy was soon to find none was worse than the headmaster himself, Mr. Bogo.

During an afternoon natural history lesson, watching and listening in the rear of the room, the sharp eyes of Mr. Bogo gazed eerily. Judy, having been asked to answer a question asked by her teacher, quickly began to rise off her stool, accidently dropping her writing slate board. The sound of the shattering on the stone floor echoed throughout the class, Mr. Bogo's eyes quickly turned toward the short gray bunny. "Why did you break that girl?" Bogo asked, looking at Judy.

"It was an accident sir, I did not do it on purpose." Judy responded, looking up at him.

"Girl, come over here!" Bogo called in his deep voice. "Ah yes, Judy Hopps…" Bogo remembering her name. "…bring your chair to me."

As Judy approached him, grasping the small stool in her arms, he quickly turned toward the classroom door. "Class, rise and follow me." Bogo commanded to everyone. Walking slowly down the short narrow hall, Bogo would stop and instruct each classroom he passed to rise and follow him down the narrow hall exiting into the schools main entrance opposite the dining hall. "Miss Hopps, place your stool here." Bogo commanded, his expression never changing.

Placing her small stool in the entrance Judy began searching the many faces for Helen. "Now stand on that stool." Bogo called out, Judy head quickly turning back, gazing up at him. "Now girl!" Bogo shouted down at her. Slowly, Judy stood before the entire school.

"Students, teachers, it is my sad duty to warn you about this mammal here. For who would have thought, in this righteous school of learning, that the evil one sends to us an agent of his." Bogo spoke in a soft tone voice at first, but grew to a deep caring voice as he slowly began to circle her. "Each of you must guard against her, shun her company and close your ears to the words spoken by her, for she is a deceitful creature."

Judy, hearing these false words, grew with hatred. Raising her head, looking out amongst the sea of students, she caught sight of the soft brown eyes of Helen and peace slowly began to overcome her.

"This, my child…" Bogo continued looking down at Judy. "This is the base of treachery for which you stand upon. And it is on this base you shall remain all day long." Bogo spoke his last words slowly. Quickly turning to all the teachers, his furious glare began to address each of them. "No food or drink must be given to this child. For as the hearts of sinners are forever barren in life, so too shall this child be barred from God's daily gifts today." Lowering his gaze once more to the students, his heavy tone never ceasing, he called to each of them. "Children, I urge you caution with her, reject her from this day forth." Bogo continued to circle Judy. "Withhold your friendship, deny your love for her…" Bogo staring into the young violet eyes. "…this Judy Hopps, lest you be condemned forever with deceit, as she has done."

As the sun slowly began to set over the school, Judy continued to stand within the entrance hall. Her classmates walking past the small bunny neither looking nor speaking a single word. Judy, exhaustion slowly beginning to break her, began to cry silently. Her lower legs and paws shaking slightly, she felt alone and despised. It was at that moment that she felt something placed in her left paw. Closing her paw tightly, Judy raised her head up slightly to see a pair of warm brown eyes staring back at her. Helen, having walked past her, had pressed a piece of bread into Judy's paw, as she walked away towards their dormitory, smiling at her. Smiling back at her friend, Judy once more began crying from this simple act of kindness.

With the oncoming winter, flu quickly began spreading amongst the young children in the school. Due to minimal food and cold dormitories, a small pandemic quickly began to emerge. Helen, who was two years older than Judy, was one of the unfortunate children to develop symptoms. Learning of her friend's condition, Judy would frequent the school's medical ward from time to time. Missing her friend dearly, Judy, not fearing the actions she herself would face if found out of bed during the late hours, silently crossed the school courtyard and entered the medical ward.

Opening the ward's oak door, Judy gazed along the single row of five bed frames set along one side of the room. In a small bed in the middle of the room she found Helen laying peacefully, a single candle burning next to her on a small nightstand.

"Helen." Judy called softly to her as she approached the bed.

"Judy, is that you?" Helen answered back, grabbing hold of her paw. "Your paws feel so cold. Come into bed and cover yourself up."

Slowly climbing into the bed alongside Helen, both fawn and bunny, for a brief moment, held one another.

"I am so happy Judy." Helen spoke weakly. "I will be leaving here soon."

"But you can't leave Helen, what will I do without you here?" Judy said devastated by these words.

"You will always have me with you," Helen spoke, coughing slightly. "Stay here with me, please. I want you here by my side."

"I will." Judy replied "I will not let anyone take me from you."

Lowering her head down toward Judy, Helen kissed her softly on her head. Slowly they each began to drift away as sleep overtook the both of them, still holding each other in each other's embrace.

The following morning, feeling as if weightless, Judy suddenly awoke as she gazed shockingly at the school's medical ward nurse Miss Stevenson, lifting her from Helens side said, "Miss you cannot be here." Miss Stevenson said franticly lifting the small bunny from the bed.

"No! I want to stay with Helen, please I want to stay with Helen!" Judy began to cry out, fighting the lioness' paws lifting her up.

"I sorry young miss, but Helen has died." Miss Stevenson spoke clutching Judy in a soft embrace.

Judy, unwilling to believe the words being spoken, turned her head toward the gentle body of the young fawn, her vacant eyes open and staring up at Judy. "Helen…no, Helen!" Judy, at that moment, began to break down as she cried in the arms of Miss Stevenson, her heart grieving over the loss of her one and only friend.

"Miss Reyburn? Judy…are you alright?" Judy began to hear John Rivers' voice slowly become stronger.

"I'm sorry, but I…" Judy raising her paw to her brow and closed her eyes once more, "…I think I need some air right now, excuse me please." Judy spoke as she raised herself slowly from her chair. Reaching for her cloak from a hook along the side of the cottage door, Judy stepped out into the cool morning air, emotions and tears once more crippling her. Diana and Mary, remaining seated at the dining table, stared once more at their brother standing before them, worried emotions spreading between each of them.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 4

Fourteen years to the day had passed since the loss of her dearest friend Helen. Judy stood by the long dormitory entrance, gazing into the room that for such a time in her life felt as if it were a prison. Remaining at Clawood a further five years as a student, three as an apprentice, and further six as a teacher, Judy was finally leaving. Wearing a long black traveling cloak over a long gray dress, Judy walked slowly along the school's main courtyard, memories of Helen and herself forming before her, the two of them laughing as they made their way to and from classes.

"Miss Hopps?" A small zebra speaking softly, calling out to her. "The auto car is here for you, Miss Hopps when you are ready."

"Thank you Lizzy, tell the headmistress I will be there shortly." Judy replied reaching her paw out and brushing the young girl on her head. She thought to herself "I have to say goodbye to someone before I go."

Quickening her pace along the outer edge of Clawood, a tall marble pillar began to emerge from the cold mist of the morning. As she neared the marble, etched into its face were the words: _Rev. Idris Bogo, Gods humble servant, beloved headmaster and founder of Clawood Institute_. Hatred growing in her heart, Judy simply walked past the marble pillar, passing through a small kissing gate. Walking slowly along a narrow gravel path, she slowly proceeded to a small patch of white crosses along inner most area. Turning slightly, she continued toward one small cross positioned near the middle of the patch. Escribed on the cross was simply: _Helen Glenn_.

"I miss you Helen, This time of the year most of all." Judy spoke softly. "But I had to come and say goodbye. You were a true and loving friend to me." Judy's spoke softly, crying slightly. "Remember the conversation I had with you two months ago? I received a reply from the advertisement I had placed in the Zootopia Herald." Judy announced happily. "I am leaving this place forever…" Judy glanced back at the marble pillar once more. "…but I wanted to talk to you one last time before I head south to my new position. I will never forget what you taught me when…"

"Miss Hopps! Are you leaving us or shall I tell the driver to return without you?" The strong pitch voice of the Headmistress, Miss Bellwether, came near the front of the kissing gate.

Judy, turning around saw the elderly ewe looking back at her. "Yes Headmistress, I am coming now." Judy replied back, before turning back to the small cross touching it one last time. "Goodbye Helen."

As both ewe and bunny approached the auto car at the entrance of Clawood, a small group of young girls huddled along the heavy metal fence. "Goodbye, Miss Hopps, goodbye." The young girls each began calling out, a few bestowing a warm hug on the gray bunny as she made her way toward the gate.

Reaching the main gate, Judy again stood next to Miss Bellwether. Looking into each other's eyes, both mammals simply nodded as Judy stepped through the gate.

"Miss Hopps?" A tall lion chauffeur, dressed in light gray pant leggings and button jacket, held out a large yellow paw as she exited.

"Yes" Judy said looking toward the lion, slightly scared.

"My name is Mr. Lionheart, but you can just call me Leodore, Miss." Leodore said smiling down at the small bunny. "Let me get those cases for you."

"Thank you sir…I mean Leodore." Judy said motioning slowly to the auto car. Sitting herself down in the back seat, fear of the unknown slowly began to spread across her body. She had spent years dreaming of this day and for a split second, for some unknown reason, suddenly felt the urge to rush back to the safety that laid behind the iron and stone walls. "I can do this, I can do this." Judy thought to herself as the sudden vibrations from the car began to vibrate through her.

"Are you ready Miss Hopps?" Leodore asked turning back, again smiling broadly as he looked at the nervous bunny.

"Yes…I am sorry Leodore, I was lost in my thoughts. Yes, I am ready." Judy said returning a humble smile back at him.

Slowly as the auto car began to proceed down the path away from Clawood, Judy felt a giant weight release its hold from her. Throughout the long journey she watched as the greater world passed by her eyes. Glancing every now and again, she simply could not imagine and marvel at how much the world had changed since leaving for Clawood. The newer architecture and clothing fashions looked almost mystical to her as the auto car passed through the small towns.

Leaning forward by the evening, Judy gently tapped Leodore on his broad shoulders. "Mr. Lionheart…I mean, Leodore, sorry. How much further until we arrive?" Judy asked shivering slightly.

"I'm sorry Miss Hopps are you getting to cold back there, hold on." Leodore said as he began to slow the auto car down along the side of a county road. He walked to the back of the auto car's case trunk. Judy watched the lion unlatching the leather straps as he started to remove something beyond her line of vision. Coming around to the rear seat, Judy saw a medium size quilted blanket folded in his arm.

"Here you go Miss Hopps, you can wrap yourself in this if you like." Leodore said smiling. "We have almost another three hours till we arrive at our destination, Miss.

"Thank you, you are too kind to go through all this trouble." Judy responded, taking the warm quilted blanket, draping it over herself. "Will you be alright without it for yourself?"

"Oh yes." Leodore said back, smiling and laughing slightly. "I have my thick coat on all the time, Miss." Motioning to his thick lion's mane.

As the auto car slowly made its way across a short narrow bridge hours later, Judy's eyes quickly began to focus on a dark silhouette illuminated by a clear full moon sky. Positioned along a high level hill, her eyes adjusting slowly through the night's surroundings, a great manor house, slowly began to take shape.

"Leodore, is that the house there?" Judy said pointing slowly out toward a distant tree line.

"Yes, that is it Miss Hopps, Casterly Manor." The lion said turning his head in the direction she pointed toward.

Reaching the manor house's outer walls and heavy gate, Judy felt a sense of awe as the auto car passed through them. Continuing to glance at the manor house, she felt the auto car began to slow as it turned a corner, coming out along a large open drive path. Glancing along the path, she quickly noticed three short individuals standing in the distance.

"Here you are Miss." Leodore called back toward Judy, engaging the auto car's parking brake.

Slowly, as Judy exited the auto car's interior, she once again glanced up at the numerous grand windows of the manor house. She quickly noticed two smaller windows along the third floor lit by a single candle. Judy felt a slight misgiving come over her as Leodore helped her down. Returning her glance toward the three individuals standing before her, she cautioned herself as she noticed the small party.

"Mrs. Otterton?" Judy asked kindly.

"Yes my dear." An elderly, light haired otter stepped forward extending her paw. "You are most welcome to Casterly Manor." Mrs. Otterton said, greeting Judy. "This is the head maid, Tabatha…" Mrs. Otterton said motioning to a white Flemish rabbit, "…and this is Benjamin, he is our lead footman," motioning toward a tall white and gray timber wolf. "Leodore, could you and Benjamin take Miss Hopps things up to her room. Tabatha, go and make sure the fire in her room is set." Mrs. Otterton called out. "Please come inside my dear." As she held motioned Judy down along and through the back door servant's entrance.

"You must be so cold and exhausted after your long journey? I know Leodore to be a somewhat slow driver at times." Mrs. Otterton said as both ladies entered a small office room down from the house kitchens. "Come over here and warm yourself near the fire." Slowly reaching for Judy's cloak ribbon, she untied it. Judy, slightly frightened by this motherliness, was taken slightly by surprise, having never really experienced such things.

Mrs. Otterton, now able to fully see Judy in the full light of the fire, spoke happily, "Oh my goodness…How young you are my dear."

"I am twenty four, Mrs. Otterton. I have been a teacher for about six years at Clawood." Judy said lightly.

"Well, I have to say, we are very fortunate to have you here now." Mrs. Otterton said as she stared back, smiling. Walking to the office door, she called out, "Tabatha, has Miss Dammore gone to bed?"

"Yes, Mrs. Otterton, I feel she has." A cheery voice called back along the hallway.

"Oh well." Mrs. Otterton said turning back to Judy. "Sit, sit my dear, down over here." She said motioning to a soft padded chair next to the fire. "I'll make a cup of tea for you. Is there any type you may like?"

"Carrot if you have it, or just simply green tea." Judy replied.

Within a few minutes, Mrs. Otterton had returned, carrying with her a tray with a small tea pot and plate with a few sandwiches.

"Again, I am so happy to have you accept the post here my dear Miss Hopps." Mrs. Otterton said pouring two cups of tea. "This is such a grand house, and I have to admit, during the winter months a person can start to feel a little lonely at times. Tabitha is a good girl, Benjamin and Leodore are very resourceful, but as servants, one cannot talk to them on equal terms.

Suddenly a soft knock came from outside small room.

"Mrs. Otterton…" Tabitha suddenly appearing at the office door. "Miss Hopps' room is ready. Shall I show her the way?" Tabitha asked happily.

"No my dear you go on to bed, it very late my dear. I will show her up." Mrs. Otterton replied, setting down her cup of tea. "Miss Hopps, if you are ready?" motioning to Judy as she lit a small candle.

Standing up, Judy slowly began to follow Mrs. Otterton out into the manor's great hall. Judy, looking around her, saw the grandeur the hall must hold through the darkness of the hour. Walking toward a grand staircase, staring at her surroundings, from the hand carved fireplace along the distant wall to the ancient tapestries and heavy drapes, sent a slight chill through her.

"Will I be meeting the young Miss Otterton in the morning?" Judy asked walking slowly behind Mrs. Otterton.

"Who, my dear?" Mrs. Otterton replied, turning around along the stairs.

"Your young daughter, Miss Otterton…my pupil?" Judy responded.

"Oh you must mean Sophie, my dear." Mrs. Otterton said turning reaching a second floor corridor. "Little Miss Burrows. Oh no, she is not my daughter, my dear. She is Mr. Wilde's young ward." She said turning down a side passage from the floor's main corridor.

"Who is Mr. Wilde?" Judy asked, confusion beginning to stir in her mind.

"Mr. Wilde, the owner of Casterly Manor, my dear." Mrs. Otterton spoke surprised. "Did I not tell you that in the letter I sent you?"

"No, I'm sorry, you did not." Judy said, her face looking worried.

"I am so sorry my dear, his name is Mr. Nicholas Piberius Wilde." Mrs. Otterton said in response to Judy's worried look.

"I assumed from your letter that you were the owner of Casterly Manor." Judy said again staring at the elderly otter.

"Good gracious…" Mrs. Otter stopped suddenly starting to laugh slightly. "…I am sorry to give you such a notion, heavens no, I am only the housekeeper here."

"When will I meet this Mr. Wilde?" Judy asked, her noise twitching slightly.

"When indeed my dear. When he decides to grace us with his presence, which I am afraid to say is not often Miss Hopps." Mrs. Otterton said turning back again, illuminating Judy fully with the light of the candle. "You see, my dear, he is a restless soul, Mr. Wilde is. No sooner does he return to us, than he is off once more on one of his grand adventures. I have to say, I do wish he stayed more often, little Miss Burrows behaves herself when he is here." Mrs. Otterton turned back and resumed her steps followed by Judy.

"May I ask how many room there are here at Casterly Manor?" Judy asked with interest.

"Oh, my dear, a far too many, but do not fear, your room is a nicer size space, not too drafty like the rest of the house." Mrs. Otterton replied.

"How many floors?" Judy asked more eager in knowing the manor a deal more.

"Two floors, and a third along the west wing of the manor. No one uses that wing anymore so it was ordered to be locked up by Mr. Wilde years ago. Two floors in this manor is quite enough to manage as of now." Mrs. Otterton said nearing a white door along the corridor. "Here we are my dear."

Opening the door into a delightful room, Judy stepped slowly, following behind her. Glancing around the room Judy was left utterly speechless. The room, with its elegant bed hangings and furniture, made her feel she was in a dream. Judy's ears hanging low behind her slowly began to rise with excitement as she paced around the room.

"If you need anything, please let me know. I will say goodnight my dear." Mrs. Otterton said bestowing Judy with a loving embrace before leaving the room.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Otterton." Judy spoke as she watched the elderly otter leave and close the door.

Walking over to the nearby fireplace, Judy breathed deeply as she quickly found the words she was feeling at that very moment. Smiling brightly as she walked slowly to a round sitting table near the center of her chambers, she deposited her travel cloak upon it.

Suddenly from the corridor outside her room, a cackling high pitched voice crossed by her door as if running along it floors. Judy's ears, now fully extended, listened carefully for the sound once more. Turning slowly, she reached for a small solitary oil lamb setting on the table. Reaching her chamber door, the cackle once more erupted from outside the door. Turning the door's handle with a shaking paw, Judy slowly opened the door and stepped out into the dark deserted corridor.

"Mrs. Otterton…Leodore?" Judy called out.

Glancing down the dark passageway, she began walk slowly. As she neared the main stairway Judy looked down to the main floor gallery. Suddenly, along a lonely passageway, a quick flash of cloth disappeared into the darkness.

"Hello." Judy continued to call out softly, walking towards the lonely passageway.

As the light from the oil lamp passed the many portraits hanging along the path, the light thrown on each one brought on a sense of observation by each of their eyes. Judy, watching each painting pass before her, still listening for the laughter, felt fear once more come over here.

"Click!" a door suddenly closed at the end of the long passage.

Judy, not able to bring herself to retreat back to the safety of her own chambers, continued to walk down the passage. Once more the cackling laughter broke the silence of the house. At the end of the passageway stood an old dark wood panel door. Reaching for the door's knob, Judy slowly began to turn.

"The door is locked my dear." Mrs. Otterton said suddenly, startling Judy.

Turning toward the elderly otter, Judy looked at her with widen eyes. "I thought I saw someone, and I heard someone laughing." Judy said quickly.

"You must have heard Anna, one of the cook's assistants. She likes to have a few drinks late at night." Mrs. Otterton said troublingly as she looked at the short bunny before her.

Both ladies began to walk back toward Judy's room "It makes her run about sometimes when she has too much. I will have a few words with her in the morning." Mrs. Otterton said as she stood by Judy's door. "I hope you have a peaceful rest my dear. Goodnight."

"Goodnight again, Mrs. Otterton." Judy said, closing her door. "If the door is locked, how was Anna able to open the door?" Judy asked herself, as worried by the matter as Mrs. Otterton sounded.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author Notes**_ _ **: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them.**_

CHAPTER 5

As the sun rose the following morning Judy stirred silently in her bed. Opening her eyes slowly, she glanced about the large, mysterious bedroom she now occupied. Memories of the prior night slowly beginning to creep back into her mind.

" _ **Knock, Knock!"**_

"Miss Hopps, are you awake?" A voice sounded from behind the bedroom door.

Quickly grabbing her bed robe from alongside the warm bed, Judy crossed the room, unlocking the door.

"Yes?" Judy said as she opened the door lightly.

"Morning, Miss Hopps." Tabitha, the head maid spoke, holding a breakfast tray in her hands. "Miss Otterton asked me to bring you up a tray. She felt you needed a little bit more sleep after your long journey."

"Thank you very much. Please come in." Judy said smiling back at the young rabbit, quickly closing the door as she entered.

"Would you like your tray on the table or near the bed, Miss?" Tabitha asked.

"On the table will be completely fine, Tabitha." Judy said happily. "Please, you can call me simply Judy when we are alone, Tabitha." Judy said as she walked over and sat down at the small table near the fire.

Removing her tray cover Judy's taste buds went into complete overdrive as the smell of hot fresh oatmeal touched the tip of her nose. Looking down, she also found a small plate of lightly browned buttered toast and a small helping of jam sitting next to the hot oatmeal. Pouring a small cup of tea from a decorated tea pot, she watched the young rabbit as she made up her fire. "When is breakfast usually served downstairs?" Judy asked Tabitha, biting into a slice of buttered toast.

"At around eight in morning, miss…I mean Judy." Tabitha blushed slightly as she addressed Judy by her first name. "The servants have their morning meal thirty minutes beforehand."

"I do not dine with all of you downstairs?" Judy asked slightly confused.

"As young Miss Burrow's governess, we thought you would be want to eat with her in the mornings, before starting your lessons." Tabitha replied as she turned to look back at Judy.

"Yes…well I have not thought of that." Judy replied back. "Thank you, Tabitha. I better change and head down stairs. Where could I find the nearest wash room?"

"Oh, the nearest wash room for this floor would be down the hall, sixth door on the left." Tabitha answered. "I'll be back in another few hours to make the bed and clean up."

Judy watched as Tabitha left the room. Rising up from the table she turned and walked toward the bedrooms window. Opening the curtains wide she glanced out at the lush green grounds that made up Casterly Manor.

After returning from washing up, Judy sat herself down at a nice little vanity opposite the large canopy bed. Slowly brushing her fur, she starred back at her refection as the brush sank into the gray fur, slowly smoothing it out. In her mind, thoughts of this mysterious employer, Mr. Nicholas Wilde, began to emerge. "If he did not hire me, will he find me acceptable when I meet him?"

Finishing, fastening her long simple gray dress, she quickly began straightening her belongings on the vanity, catching herself once more in the mirror. Looking at herself, she slowly touched the side of her cheek, lowering her paw slowly down and along her neck. With her ears hanging low, she grabbed at them, bringing them forward as she slowly and lightly allowed them by pass through her paws. Her soft nose slowly began to twitch lightly, "I will never be truly beautiful, I am just a plain, simple bunny." Judy thought as she examined herself.

As Judy descended the grand staircase, she began, for the first time, to examine the majesty of Casterly Manor in the day light. Entering a magnificent living room, her eyes rose up along its paneled walls towards the hand carved ceilings. Along the room's interior sat two grand couches, both crimson in color. Stepping along the wood flooring a giant Turkish rug, blending both a sense of snow and fire, stretched underneath and along the room's furniture. Mrs. Otterton, Judy saw, was busy at work dusting the room's windowsills.

"I have never seen such an amazing home Mrs. Otterton." Judy said, smiling at her. "The manor seems so ancient, I cannot imagine the pains it must have taken to preserve it so well."

Mrs. Otterton, turning to look at Judy, returned her warm smile. "Oh my dear, the pains are all mine, I can tell you that much. When we receive word of Mr. Wilde's many returns, the one thing he hates most of all is seeing the manor all closed up along with the furniture being covered. So I have to be sure the house is always ready for him at a moment's notice." Setting down her dusting brush she turned toward the adjacent room. "Tabitha, are you there?"

"Yes Mrs. Otterton." Tabitha's voice softly called back.

"Is Miss Burrows in the drawing room or the upstairs library?" Mrs. Otterton called again.

"Mrs. Burrows was in the library, last time I checked on her." Tabitha replied.

"Thank you Tabitha." Mrs. Otterton said, turning back to Judy, "Would you like to follow me dear, and I will introduce you to Miss Burrows. The library is on the second floor along the west wing of the manor." Mrs. Otterton said as both mammals began to walk up the grand staircase.

As both ladies neared the west wing, Judy was quickly reminded of last night's noise and Mrs. Otterton's conversation along the mysterious hallway.

"Where is Sophie's mother?" Judy asked politely, clearing her thoughts.

"Oh, I am not quite sure. From what I have been able to gather, her mother died almost a year ago. Mr. Wilde for reason unknown to me, brought her here about three months ago to be his ward." Mrs. Otterton replied back as they made way down the second floor corridor.

"Here we are, my dear, the library is through this door. Now, before we go inside I should warn you about one thing." Mrs. Otterton said, speaking lightly, turning across the hall. "This room opposite of the library is Mr. Wilde's private office…" Mrs. Otterton walked over, putting her small paw on the door face. "…He is very protective of it and does not like anyone going inside. Now, let's introduce you to your new pupil, shall we?"

"Good morning, Sophie" Mrs. Otterton said as she stepped through into the library. "I would like you to meet your new governess, Miss Hopps."

Judy, walking into the open library, was left breathless as she glanced quickly up into its magnificent depths. As her eyes slowly lowered down along the many bookshelf cases, her violet eyes were meet by beautiful young blue eyes.

"Hello Sophie, it's wonderful to finally meet you." Judy said walking slowly up to a nearby window where Sophie sat quietly reading a small, velvet green book.

As Judy walked toward Sophie she quickly began to examine her. At ten years old, Sophie was almost the same height as Judy. Her soft, white fur showed small amounts of light gray coloring beginning to develop along her short ears and tail. Her paws, Judy noticed were slightly grayer than the rest of her body. As she neared closer still, stopping just shy of the window seat were Sophie was sitting, Judy at once saw the unmistaken signs that she had been crying just moments before she and Mrs. Otterton had entered the room.

"Thank you, Mrs. Otterton, I do not want to keep you from your routine." Judy said looking at Mrs. Otterton who had remained by the library door.

"Thank you very much dear, Tabitha or I will be up later with the lunch trays. Goodbye dears." Mrs. Otterton said happily turning, closing the door behind her.

Judy, turning back toward Sophie, smiled softly again at the young fox. "Are you ok Sophie? Is there something wrong?" Judy asked.

Sophie, looking at Judy turned away and began to sniff slightly. "I was just trying to remember my mother's face. I am worried I am forgetting her, Miss Hopps.

Grabbing hold of the young fox, Judy embraced her lovingly in her arms. Judy's own eyes began to water slightly as she herself thought of the memories of her own mother. "I know what you are going through my dear, I lost my mother at a very young age. But what you must always remember is the love she had for you. Faces will fade little one, but the love our loved one leaves us can never be forgotten, it remains eternal." Judy spoke the last words softly, holding up the young fox's cheek lightly with her paw.

"I will, Miss Hopps, thank you for understanding." Sophie said grabbing hold of Judy and embracing her once more.

For more than ten minutes both female bunny and fox sat by the window embracing one another in the warm glowing rays of the late morning sunlight.

Later that evening, after a wonderful dinner Judy and Sophie spent the remaining evening in one the manors many elegant sitting rooms. Mrs. Otterton, having finished with her daily chores, entered and sat down at one of the high backed chairs a few hours later. Sophie, laying on the floor nearby a warm roaring fire, was quietly examining a large leather bound atlas book. Judy, having retrieved a book earlier in the day from the library, sat a few feet away on a light red colored couch. Judy listened eagerly, looking up every so often, as Sophie read out the names of different areas and places within the maps on the pages. Judy smiled as she would watch Sophie trace a location with her paw slowly, remembering herself doing the same thing as a child.

Mrs. Otterton, sitting quietly sowing the finishing touches on a new shawl, gave a slow exhale as she looked around the sitting room walls. "Emmitt?"

"Did you say something Mrs. Otterton?" Judy said turning to look at the elderly otter.

"I am sorry my dear, I just thought for a moment…never mind dear. I just feel at times, when I am sitting down alone, I hear my name being called. My dear late husband, Emmitt, would like to call me by a nickname he used for me whenever he would sit down next me." Mrs. Otterton said. Judy saw Mrs. Otterton blushing slightly as she spoke of her late husband. "Just for a slight moment I thought I felt as if he just sat down next to me again, whispering that name in my ear."

Suddenly a strong chime erupted from an old grandfather clock along a dark sided wall in the room. Mrs. Otterton quickly looked up at the clock, embarrassed. Judy starred at the otter with compassion as she watched her rise and walk toward her and Sophie.

"Here, Miss Hopps, before I go up for the night, this is for you." Mrs. Otterton said as she draped the finished shawl around Judy's neck.

"Thank you it is beautiful, I am delighted." Judy said smiling back at her. "What do you think Sophie?" Judy asked looking at the young fox.

"It looks beautiful on you Miss Hopps, it really does." Sophie answered back, smiling.

All three mammals slowly began to make their way up along the dark hallways, wishing each other a pleasant rest, as they retired to their bedrooms.

"Miss Hopps?" Sophie asked quietly walking over to Judy, looking over her shoulder to see if anyone was around. "Have you been hearing laughter up and down the hallway late at night?" Sophie said, looking into Judy's eyes.

"Yes, I have. I heard it last night when I arrived. Mrs. Otterton said it was Anna who works in the kitchen. There is nothing to worry about." Judy said seeing fear start to form in Sophie's face.

"But Miss Hopps, there is no one by that name working in the kitchen. At least no one I know, or have met these past few months." Sophie replied back. "I lock my door at night out of fear from the laughter. I just wanted to know if it was just me. Goodnight, Miss. Hopps." As she said this she quickly turned back around stepping into a doorway halfway down the hallway.

Judy, standing in the near darkness of the hallway, lit only by the candle light, turned her head in both directions, her ears raised high listening diligently for any sounds. Turning slowly into her own bedroom, Judy closed the door. Reaching for a long bolt just slightly above the door handle with her right paw she stopped, worried thoughts beginning to spin through her mind. Turning around, she began to scan her bedroom as outside the wind along the manor's windows began creaking the window panes. Closing her eyes slightly she turned back toward the door and with a slow steady motion, she engaged the door's slide lock.

By the next morning, having finished breakfast, Judy sent Sophie back up to the library to continue with the lessons she had given her and walked toward the downstairs kitchen.

"Mrs. Otterton, may I have a word please?" Judy asked, standing outside Mrs. Otterton office door.

"Certainly my dear." Mrs. Otterton replied back.

"I am sorry to bother you so early in the morning. But Sophie told me something last night…I just wanted to know if there is any truth in it." Judy said, worried on how to ask the question, as she took a seat next to the otter.

"I will do my best, dear, to answer whatever you have to ask. Mrs. Otterton said, giving Judy her normal happy smile.

"Is there really an Anna working in the kitchen you told me about on my first night here? Sophie told me she has not seen or hear of such a mammal since she has been here." Judy asked cautiously.

Mrs. Otterton's face, Judy saw, changed after hearing the last part of Judy's explanation. Mrs. Otterton, taking a few short breaths, looked up the gray haired bunny with saddened eyes. "All I can say, Miss Hopps, is yes and no. You see, Anna does not work in the kitchen anymore. She had been a member of staff since Mr. Wilde was a small kit here at the manor. And for all the faithful service she has given his family, Mr. Wilde allows her to remain here."

"Then why have I not seen her?" Judy asked quickly. "I think she is scaring Sophie at night. Perhaps I should talk to her and…"

"No I am sorry my dear, but Mr. Wilde does not want the staff, other than myself, talking to her." Mrs. Otterton said interrupting Judy. "I am sorry, dear, to have lead you wrong way. I was simply following orders. I will have words with her again about her night wanderings." Looking up at a small mantel clock above the fire place Mrs. Otterton stood up rather hasty. "I better go dear. I am late getting started on the morning cleaning schedule."

As Judy made her way back up toward the library she stopped once more in the lonely corridor leading to the third floor. Glancing down along the dark walls, she slowly began to walk toward the locked door at the far end. Reaching for the doorknob with her right paw she softly placed her left ear against the cool wood of the door. As she stood there listening, no sound could be hear except the beating of her own heart, the beating becoming faster and faster. Removing her ear, she continued to stare at the door. Her mind struggled to understand the mystery of this Anna. Why and how did Anna have access to an area of the manor that Mr. Wilde kept locked up? Slowly turning around, she began to walk toward the direction of the library. Reaching the main corridor along the west wing, a slight low breeze began to travel along the corridor's carpeted floor. Judy suddenly stopping, feeling unmistakably as if she was being watched by someone. Turning her head back, she glanced back along the narrow hallway leading back to the locked door. Her ears once again raised high above her head for a split of a second Judy heard again the high pitch laughter resonate from the deserted hallway.

"Miss Hopps?" a voice called out suddenly, making Judy jump slightly.

"Sophie…I am sorry, I did not hear you approach." Judy said clutching her chest with her left paw. "I thought…never mind, little one."

"Miss Hopps, you are almost as white as my own fur." Sophie said worriedly.

"I am fine, Sophie…how about we take a walk along the grounds? I think we both could do with a little fresh air. Do you not agree?" Judy said looking at the young fox.


	6. Chapter 6

**_As I promised those of you who have been following along eagerly, Nick has finally arrived in the storyline. Please do not be too quick to judge how I play his character out in this chapter. There will be a few twists and turns still left in the story._**

 ** _Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 6

In the months that followed, Judy began to fully settle in at Casterly Manor. While she found the staff and Sophie very welcoming, she began to feel as if something was missing in her life. Winter weather was beginning to slowly appear along the surrounding valleys.

"Miss Hopps, dear…" Mrs. Otterton said walking into the large foyer, where Judy was about to depart for the nearby village of Beaverton. "I heard you were you going out for a while? Could you do me a small favor?"

Judy, who was lost in her own thoughts, quickly turned as she looked at the elderly otter. "I am sorry Mrs. Otterton, what did you say?"

"Tabitha told me you were planning to walk down to the village. Could you post these letters for me while you are down there please?" She said with her now familiar smile.

"I would be happy to. Is there anything else?" Judy asked taking hold of three individual letters, each one wrapped up and sealed.

"No that is all. Just be careful my dear, it looks as if the fog is coming in early for the evening." Mrs. Otterton said turning back toward the kitchen.

Walking along the lonely, familiar stone lane, shadowing a shallow brook, Judy slowly made her descent down the long crest leading toward the local village. Having taken her heavy black traveling cloak and bonnet for added warmth, she began to step lightly along the foggy landscape. The cold chilly air vaporizing around her as she breathed slowly, she listened to the sounds of the slow trickle of water running alongside the lane, the gentle brushing of air running along the tree tops.

Suddenly slowing her pace, Judy started to notice a Toulouse goose couple walking slightly ahead of the lane. "Good evening." Judy called out to them as she began to approach.

"Well, good evening to you too." The couple responded one after the other, turning around and addressing Judy as she neared closer

"Are you by chance heading into the village?" Judy asked.

"Oh no miss, we are heading to a friend's home just a little over the way, there, along the brook near the fork." The female goose said, pointing her feather wing out into the distance.

"May I join you in your walk?" Judy said looking at the couple.

"We would be delighted to have you in our company dear." The female goose said smiling back at Judy.

"Thank you, you are very kind." Judy replied back, as the three of them resumed the descent along the lane together.

"I think I have seen you before miss…" the male goose spoke softly. "In the village, I think. It must have been last week, if I remember correctly." The male goose said, looking at Judy. "Where is it that you reside miss…?"

"Hopps…Judy Hopps, sir. I am the governess up at Casterly Manor." Judy responded.

"Mr. Wilde's place. He has a child? I never knew that." The female goose spoke quickly, as she looked at her husband, her eyes wide with shock at this new bit of news.

"I do not know if the child is truly his daughter, ma'am. All I know is what I have been told since I arrived and that she is Mr. Wilde's ward. She arrived here a few months after her mother died months prior, and I was hired to care and look after her." Judy explained as they all continued down the path.

"Mr. Wilde must be very happy, having you here to care for her then." The female goose said as they continued their walk. "He is a very honorable mammal, is he not my dear?"

"I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting him in person. He is not at home at the present time. Mrs. Otterton, the housekeeper, was the one who had hired me." Judy said, her mind quickly wondering when she would be finally meeting this mysterious Mr. Wilde everyone seems to know, but her.

Nearing the fork along the brook the small party stopped. "Well my dear, do not worry too much about minor things. I do hope we see each other again, it was such a pleasure talking with you." The female goose said, turning with her husband along a narrow bridge stretching across the brook.

"Mrs. …I am so sorry, forgive me, but I never asked your name." Judy said suddenly thinking.

"Feathering, my dear, Grace Feathering." The female goose said turning back toward Judy. "This is my dear husband George." Grace said motioning toward the gentleman goose.

"Goodbye Mr. and Mrs. Feathering, I hope you have a pleasant day." Judy said as she continued on down the lane toward the village.

Later that early evening, leaving the outer edge of the village, Judy began to walk with caution as the dense fog began to descend along the lane heading back up the hill. Listening carefully, she peered into the shadows along the brook's tree line as the fog began to obstruct her view. In the far distance Judy quickly began to hear what sounded almost as if something was running along the lane toward were she was now stood, fear slowly overcoming her. "It does not sound like an auto car. It sounds too faint." She told herself as she began turning her head, desperately searching for any sight of the sound approaching. Blood began to flow to the tips of her ears as she pressed hard to listen to what was approaching. Her heart beat ever faster now as she listened as the sound began to approach ever closer. Her eyes, full of fear, began searching madly for any sight of the creature or thing approaching. Suddenly glancing back towards the direction of the village Judy watched, powerless to move, as a tall gentleman looking red fox began to emerge out of the fog riding what appeared to be a dark colored bicycle right in front of her. The gentleman fox, suddenly noticing Judy as he traveled up along the lane in a flash, quickly altered his course. Judy, frozen with fear, watched in total shock as the fox swerved to avoid her and crashed into the shallow brook alongside her.

"Damn it too hell!" The gentleman fox yelled out as he laid in the brook's shallow stream, his charcoal gray, tweed cycling pants and burgundy socks soaking wet.

"Are you alright sir?" Judy called out, staring at the fox figure, her expression one of total shock.

"Does it look to you as if I am all right?" The gentleman fox replied back, furious at the short gray bunny standing before him. "What in god's name are you doing standing in the middle of the lane in the fog? Are you a mad mammal?" The gentleman foxed continued to yell at Judy.

"Do you need me to go and fetch you some help?" Judy asked as she observed the fox, struggling to rise from the water.

"God no!" The gentleman fox replied back. Slowly he began to rise, but found he had injured himself in the course of his fall. "Come here, I need your help."

"You may not want to do that sir. Your leg could be broken." Judy watched as he began to struggle to stand up. "I could call for someone to come down from Casterly Manor where I live and help you fully sir."

"It's only a sprain! Now come over here, come on damn you! Help me out of this water." The gentleman fox shouted as he held out his arm while trying to put weight on his right foot paw.

Judy, her face showing a slight sense of anger at the gentleman fox's attitude, walked off the lane slowly making her way to the edge of the brook and held out her arm. Taking it, the red fox stared down at her briefly as he shifted his weight onto Judy. Judy suddenly felt her body drop slightly as she struggled to remain upright due to the fox's weight.

"And just how long, may I ask, have you been living up at Casterly Manor?" The red fox asked with a slight sense of wonder.

"Since I took up the post as governess there." Judy replied.

Stepping out of the water, they walked toward the gentleman fox's bicycle, now laying on its side in the grass.

As the gentleman fox bent down to raise his bicycle up, he looked back at Judy, her head lowered in sorrow for the pain she had caused him just moments before. Taking a deep breath he raised himself back up.

"May I ask, what is a governess exactly doing this time of evening, in the middle of a foggy lane?" The gentleman fox asked, taking off his gray tweed jacket revealing a cream colored long sleeved shirt with dark black vest.

"Walking, sir." Judy replied, a little more strongly then she may have wanted too.

"Well than, before you finish your walk, would you be so kind as to hand me my briefcase satchel, it's just there." The gentleman said pointing just shy of where Judy stood.

Judy, scanning to where the gentleman had pointed, saw a small brown leather satchel laying upon the grass. Feeling neither obligated nor wanting to do such things, she starred back at the gentleman. It was at that moment, Judy forgot all prejudices she had for the fox after quickly observing the handsome green emerald eyes looking back at her own violet ones. Judy, unable to find any proper retort, silently bent down and picked up the satchel and handed it back to the gentleman fox.

"Thank you." The gentleman fox said for the first time as his red paw softly brushed hers, taking hold of the satchel. Placing his satchel securely back on the rear of the bicycle, he remounted the bicycle, careful not to put too much weight on his right leg he pushed off once more toward his unknown destination. Turning his head back towards Judy, he called out, "Please give my regards to Mr. Wilde."

"I have yet to meet him, sir!" Judy called back as she watched the gentleman fox's tail slowly disappear into the fog.

Reaching the manor's high wrought iron gate, Judy's eyes were suddenly alive at the sight that awaited her as she glanced at the grand house. Illuminating through the setting evening light, the manor house seemed to be dancing. Judy, quickly advancing up and through the great doors, looked utterly stunned at what lay before her eyes. Standing in the now bright foyer, she watched as the house staff quickly moved in and out of the rooms, Mrs. Otterton's voice raised slightly giving out instructions.

"Tabitha, go make up the fire in the bedroom and if you need more coal take it from my office room."

"Yes Mrs. Otterton." Tabitha spoke as she made her way up the staircase.

"Tabitha, he also wishes to have Sophie join him down in the main drawing room." Mrs. Otterton said, turning back toward Tabitha.

"Yes, Mrs. Otterton, but it's late and I think she is resting and what shall I tell Miss Hopps when she returns from town?" Tabitha said looking down at Mrs. Otterton halfway along the stairwell.

"Well, wake her up if she is resting and I will talk to Miss Hopps myself. Just go and get her ready to see him and then go make up the fire." Mrs. Otterton said sounding exhausted. Turning toward the main door, the elderly otter felt a sense of relief as her eyes fell on Judy. "Miss Hopps, thank the lord. Benjamin!" Mrs. Otterton called out turning quickly toward the tall timber wolf as he walked through the great hall. "Go down to the kitchen and tell the cook to have a dinner tray made up and ready to take up to the main drawing room."

The timber wolf simply nodded and passed through a side door along a small alcove without a single word.

"Miss Hopps, Mr. Wilde arrived while you were out, my dear." Mrs. Otterton said looking at Judy with heavy eyelids. "He said he wanted to see you immediately after you return. You better go up and change my dear, I will take your cloak and bonnet upstairs."

"I need to change? Judy asked as she glanced down at her dress she had on.

"Yes my dear, we all change into evening wear whenever Mr. Wilde is at home." Mrs. Otterton responded.

"But all of my dresses look the same Mrs. Otterton, I do not own any formal dresses, I never was required to have any such fashions." Judy said, afraid of what Mr. Wilde will think of her, standing in front of him in her gray simple and plain dresses.

"Oh my dear, I better warn you now then, he is in such a state right now." Mrs. Otterton spoke, breathing a heavy sigh. "Apparently on his way up to the house he said he was riding around a curve along the lane in the fog and had an accident. From what he has told me, he fell off his bicycle and hurt his lower leg. I put in a call for the doctor and he will come in the morning and check on Mr. Wilde's leg. I need to hurry on dear. Mr. Wilde is in the drawing room just through there, whenever you are ready."

Upon hearing these words, Judy's whole body froze with fear. She watched as Mrs. Otterton walked toward her office near the kitchen. Was that stranger in the tweed cycling suit my employer, Mr. Wilde? Judy thought in her mind. It cannot be true, it just cannot, she started to repeat over and over to herself as she walked toward the drawing room.

As she slowly entered the large drawing room, "Mr. Wilde?" Judy spoke glancing into the low illuminated room.

"Ah, finally… the helpful governess, Miss Judy Hopps. Come in, come in, do not huddle by the doorway, I won't bite you." Nick's voice sounded from a high backed chair near the fire.

"You may deceive me sir, as you have once already done so today." Judy replied back toward the chair.

"That was not my mission. I was angry at you for scaring me off the road." Nick called back as his head turned from the chair, staring at Judy.

"I was just simply walking…"

"Yes, yes…in the fog, alright, it is done now." Nick interrupted Judy. "Sit down." Nick spoke softly as he turned back toward the fire.

Judy very calmly began to cross over the room toward a small table and chair, close by Nick.

"No…not there over, here so I can see you properly." Nick instructed, pointing toward a light colored canapé next to him.

Turning toward the canapé, Judy walked over to it and sat down. Looking down at Nick's right leg she noticed it was slightly elevated, resting on a soft pillowed foot stand. Nick watched her silently as she continued to sit. Not wishing to look at him, Judy turned to stare into the warm fire as crackled red embers were falling softly onto the stone hearth.

"So…Miss Hopps, where do you come from?" Nick asked

"Clawood, up in the north." Judy answered simply. "I placed an advertisement some time ago and Mrs. Otterton graciously accepted me for the position here.

"Indeed, well I hope you are qualified." Nick said questionably in reply. "No doubt you have been filled with the late Bogo's heavy religious teachings and such. Yes, I know all about Clawood and its extreme teachings." Nick noticed quickly Judy's surprise at the mention of her former headmaster. "The Rev. Bogo thought himself nothing less than a saint when he was alive, which you most likely agree with." Nick said, looking into Judy's eyes.

"I do not sir, in fact I despise the man and everything he stood for." Judy responded quickly to Nick's words.

"Careful now, that sounds like blasphemy." Nick gave a small laugh.

 ** _Knock, Knock_**

"Come." Nick called out as both he and Judy turned to the drawing room door.

Mrs. Otterton entered the room carrying a large tray and began to walk toward them as they sat by the fire. Her face, exhausted by this evening's events, gave both mammals her cheerful smile.

"Just place my tray down here Mrs. Otterton, thank you." Nick said addressing the elderly otter.

"Very good sir. I hope Miss Hopps is everything you hoped she would be, sir. I thank the lord every day for the blessings in having Miss Hopps here." Mrs. Otterton said smiling at Judy.

"Try not to give her too much of a character, Mrs. Otterton. I must judge her for myself. As it is, we have Miss Hopps here to thank for giving me this sprain." Nick spoke in a somewhat smug tone, his eyes still trained on Judy. "Thank you Mrs. Otterton, leave us please."

Mrs. Otterton, her smile faltering slightly, stared at Judy and then back to Nick. Turning slowly around Mrs. Otterton calmly walked out of the room, not uttering a single further word.

"I was coming out of my office earlier when I happened to look into the library and found these laying on one of the tables there." Nick spoke, reaching over to a nearby table, grabbing a large velvet folder. "These are some of your works, are they not?" Nick said shifting through the many drawings. "This one in particular is quite good…" Nick's eyes looked by back at Judy as he held a sketch of a female mammal. "…but I feel, it is lacking a sense of passion in some places, would you not say so?"

Judy watched and listened in shock as Nick continued to sift through her personal drawings. Unable to properly respond, she simply continued to sit on the canapé, feeling exposed.

"Mrs. Otterton has told me many good things from your lessons with Sophie and that you have taken great pains in ensuring her expanding education." Nick smiled warmly for the first time with his mention of his young ward. "She was never been a bright kit, Sophie, when she was younger. From what I was told when she arrived, her basic knowledge was below those of her age. I truly hoped later she would be able develop some inspiring talents. I can see now, having you here Miss Hopps that may prove to be a greater help to her than I could possibly imagine.

"Thank you sir." Judy said, feeling moved by the words he was using and kindness towards Sophie who she had, of late, become very attached to.

"So…can you play, Miss Hopps?" Nick asked motioning to a beautiful small pianoforte near the middle of the room.

"A little." Judy replied, not knowing why he asked this of her.

"Yes, that is what all ladies are taught to say when asked." Nick smiled once more. "Well than go on, play a little for me." Nick said again motioning to the pianoforte. "Show me."

Judy, rising up, walked over and sat at the pianoforte. Thinking quickly, she began to play a lovely melody she had learned while she attended Clawood as a young girl.

"Mr. Wilde, Mr. Wilde!" Sophie's voice suddenly called out as the young fox began to run into the room, Tabitha stopping just past the door frame to the room. Judy, seeing Sophie cross the room, suddenly stopped playing

"Well, well there she is." Nick called back.

Judy watched from her position as both foxes embraced, her face smiling at the sight of Sophie's happiness.

"Continue with your playing, Miss Hopps." Nick said as he stared toward Judy than back to Sophie. "Now, have you been a good little kit while I have been away?" Nick asked, letting go of Sophie.

"Yes I have. I have learned some much from Miss Hopps, she is wonderful." Sophie said smiling at Judy, her eyes joyfully showing her excitement at having Nick back home.

After a few minutes, Judy softly played the last few notes as she glanced across the room. Watching as Sophie listened happily as Nick described his recent adventures to her, Judy slowly stood up. Turning to leave toward the door of the drawing room, she began making her way along the room.

"Where are you going, Miss Hopps?" Nick asked suddenly as he and Sophie looked back to Judy, as she standing near the door.

"To my room, sir." Judy said turning back to face Nick.

"I see. Getting tired of us already, are you? Very well, apparently you do only play a little. Never mind, you may go." Nick said laughing softly once more, turning his attention back to Sophie, who was sitting on the floor.

"Goodnight sir." Judy said turning once more towards the door. As she was about to step across into the main hall, she unexpectedly felt small paws encircle her close to her chest. Looking shockingly down, she quickly found the soft white paws belonging to Sophie.

"Goodnight Miss Hopps." Sophie's voice said softly behind her, as the young fox warmly gave her a gentle hug goodnight.

Judy's heart began to beat faster as she brushed Sophie's fur. "Goodnight my little one, try to sleep well tonight." Turning around, Judy cupped the young fox's face tenderly in her paws, leaning slightly, lightly kissing Sophie's forehead. Letting go of the young white fox, she quietly withdrew from the room. Her heart, full of emotion by Sophie's warm affections, began to ascend the stairs toward her bedroom. Reaching her destination, she thought of the day's events. Suddenly, unknown to the reasons why, Judy began to envision once more those soft, warm emerald eyes of Mr. Wilde.

Closing her bedroom door slowly, she smiled slightly at the thought of them, as they had stared at her this evening. Walking to her vanity, Judy sat down on the soft bench as her gaze focused on the mirror's reflection. Placing a single paw lightly across her heart, she felt its beat, as if it were on fire. Newly awoken emotions now began to flood through her mind as her sense of fear began to take hold once more, "What is happening to me?" Judy said out loud to herself, unable to grasp how or what could make her feel this way.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 7

In the months that followed since Nick's return, Judy felt an unknowing sense in the fox, and his mannerisms. While the two of them rarely saw one another Judy felt, whenever they did cross each other's paths, warm inside for the briefest of moments.

During an early spring day, Sophie and Judy, taking a short break with lessons, chose to enjoy a few hours outside. Sophie, having grown just slightly since the winter months, was happily playing Judy in a game of badminton along the manor's back gardens. Full of energy and laughing, Sophie was becoming very good, having only just learned the game a few weeks prior. Judy, happy to be out in the warm sunlight, felt as if she were alive once more. The warm sunlight hitting upon her face, Judy laughed as she missed the shuttlecock Sophie had struck toward her, landing a few feet away from them.

Walking over and bending down as she retrieved the shuttlecock along the well-manicured lawn, Judy's ears quickly began hearing something nearby. Looking along the manor's beautifully kept low gardens, what she saw simply amazed her. Henry Patterson, the manor's old lovable beaver gardener, was hard at work with his apprentice, Kreston, and astoundingly, Nick himself. Nick, Judy thought, his shirt sleeve cuffs rolled up along his arms, actually engaged in physical labor. Together, working as a team, Judy and Sophie watched as all three mammals were attempting to remove a rather large stump from out of the ground.

"Henry, easy now, Kreston lift your end up higher." Nick could be heard calling out instructions. Turning his head, Nick looked toward the direction of the two ladies, giving both a slight grin as he held tightly to the stump.

Judy, transfixed by this sight, quickly turned back toward Sophie, her cheeks suddenly becoming flushed as she continued on with the game.

"Your cheeks are rosy Miss Hopps." Sophie said laughing slightly as she stared at Judy a few minutes later.

"Are they?" Judy said shockingly, touching her face with her free paw. "I…I think it's getting too cold out here. Let's go back inside and finish today's lessons, yes." Judy said walking over and setting her and Sophie's rackets down quickly at a nearby wooden bench.

Later that evening Judy, having left Sophie in her day nursery, reached the great hall and turned to glance into the side parlor. She noticed the low burning oil lamps along the room walls. Turning her head once more, suddenly along a low lit passageway, softly in the distance, the sound of a violin being to play. Walking along a corridor unknown to her before, having never ventured fully within the manor, she listened as soft music continued to lead her through the lonely passage. Stopping suddenly, she listened as the violins beautiful music suddenly stopped. As she turned, her eyes searching, she felt uneasiness start to come over her, "Where am I?" Judy asked herself as she simply stood along the corridor's high walls. As she began taking deep breaths, fear slowly building up within her, the violin once more began to play. Nearing a single door along a side passageway, Judy slowly leaned her head against the cold wooden door. Closing her eyes, she listened happily to the rhythm of the strings as they vibrated, her heart entranced by the tones emanating from it.

Grasping the door handle, she felt the door latch slowly release, as she pressed lightly on the door. Peering into the room, Judy became utterly breathless with what lay within. The room, Judy observed, was large and ornate, adorned by elegant gold inlays and white walls. Turning her eyes high above, hanging from either end of the room were two elegant brass eight gas light chandeliers. A powder blue ceiling encircled both chandeliers high above white Italian tile flooring, its beauty lost by the low illumination the room's low lit surroundings. Lowering her eyes back down, she quickly noticed, in between two large grand windows draped closed by white silk curtains, the rather small fire burning from within a large white marble mantel fireplace.

"Miss Hopps. Please come in." A voice spoke from within the depths of the room.

Judy, not noticing the mysterious figure standing close to the fire, suddenly felt shocked and amazed to discover it was Nick. Dressed in a dark pair of trousers, he wore a white long sleeve shirt with a black burgundy patterned vest. One paw held loosely to his side with a violin, the other, a violin bow.

"I am sorry, Mr. Wilde, I just heard the violin playing and I wanted to…I am sorry I will leave you, forgive me. "Judy said nervously as her eyes meet his from across the room.

"Nonsense, Miss Hopps, please come in." Nick said as he sat the violin and bow on a small pedestal table.

Motioning his paw toward a pair of upholstered arm chairs close to him, Nick silently began to walk toward the closer of the two chairs. Reaching it, he immediately sat down. Judy, hesitant in allowing herself to be drawn into close interactions with Nick, watched as he sat down, the fire light bouncing off his red fur.

"This is my dear father's work you see before you." Nick said, noticing Judy as she continued to look about the room. "He used to love going to dances, so he had this…" Nick raised his paws around the room. "…ballroom built to accommodate local dances and grand balls in his time."

Nick continued to observe Judy as she stood just inside the ballroom.

"Miss Hopps, if you like your position here, I must asked at you at least obey my wishes when I address them to those in my household." Nick said, staring at Judy from across the room, and again motioned to the empty arm chair across from him.

Slowly, Judy walked over to the arm chair and sat down, not fully able to look at Nick.

"So tell me Miss Hopps, I never got around to asking you the other night. You disappeared from us so soon that evening." Nick said cheerfully. "So now, tell me, what is your sad story?"

"Sorry? What do you mean, sad story?" Judy said suddenly turning to face Nick.

"Don't all you governesses have some form of a story about your life? I quite remember my dear late sister's governesses, Miss Prairie, talk of hers in the day nursery when I was a young kit." Nick smiled, thinking of his late younger sister for the first time in years.

"I was raised by my uncle, Mr. Footerton at first. When he died, my aunt took over with my upbringing. At around the age of ten she sent me off to Clawood. It was there I learned and received a proper education any lady would be happy to acquire. So no, Mr. Wilde I do not possess a sad story." Judy responded back, not fully convincing.

"Your parents?" Nick asked

"Dead sir, a deadly infectious fever spread throughout our village when I was an infant, I was sent to my uncle's for safe keeping." Judy replied.

"Do you have memories of them, your parents?" Nick asked, watching her.

"No sir." Judy replied in a low tone.

"So why are you not with your aunt, Mrs. Footerton?" Nick said, watching her reactions toward his questioning.

"She never loved me, she only thought of me as a threat to her own children. So she sent me to live at Clawood, to be fully rid of me." Judy said, taking a deep breath, as she prevented those unhappy memories to manifest.

"How long were you there for?" Nick asked.

"I remained at Clawood for fourteen years, sir. Five as student, three as a teacher's apprentice, and a further six years as a teacher." Judy said with confidence.

"Yet through all that, you claim to tell me, you have no sad story." Nick said, laughing softly, grinning back at Judy.

For nearly twenty minutes, neither one spoke to one another. Judy, not wishing to, slowly began glancing up at Nick as he watched the fire burn down in the fireplace.

"You are examining me, Miss Hopps." Nick spoke softly as his head turned to face Judy's eyes. "Do you find me handsome?"

"No, sir." Judy said quickly, not thinking of what she was saying.

Nick simply laughed at this quick answer.

"What I meant to say was…" Judy spoke quickly, but was interrupted by Nick.

"No, do not try to change your answer, it was an honest one." Nick said to Judy as he stood up laughing once more, walking up to the fire to warm himself. "What faults do you find in me, by your observation?" Nick said, turning around to face Judy once more. "Does the sheer fact that I am a fox revolt you, Miss Hopps?"

"No sir, I…"

"Are my looks not charming enough, my eyes, ears…my smile?" Nick asked, interrupting Judy.

"They are all charming in their own right, Mr. Wilde." Judy said not wishing to give herself away with thoughts rushing through her head. "What I mean to say, is that in the matters of beauty and looks, I find them of no real importance."

"The facts are, Miss Hopps, I ask you these questions to draw you out, so to speak. A sense in which we may speak openly, you may even say." Nick walked back to the chair next to Judy. "So, talk to me, Miss Hopps."

"You wish me to talk to you openly and as equals, yet you command me to engage in this action in manners equal to an officer giving orders to their troops." Judy replied back.

"Do I come across to you as an unequal? That you are harmed by the manner in which I, the master of my own house, ask of my employees? "Nick said in a heavy tone, though not wishing to.

"It is of my own opinion, Mr. Wilde, there far too few masters who feel at all concerned enough to have such a need to ask of their paid employees such things. And if the manner in which they instruct them is or is not harmful to the individual." Judy responded to Nick questions.

"You are a rare breed, Miss Hopps, by the manner in which you, yourself, speak." Nick said rising up from his chair.

"Thank you Mr. Wilde, I will take that as a complement." Judy replied to Nicks remarks, allowing herself a small smile.

"Now I feel its best if we leave our discussion for another time, do you not agree?" Nick said reaching for the violin and bow.

Yes, perhaps we should, goodnight, Mr. Wilde." Judy said rising out of her chair. Slowly, Judy began to make her way back toward the door. Reaching it, she turned back to watch Nick start to play once more close to the fire.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Judy found herself having several more intriguing conversations with Nick. While she continued to show no physical emotions toward him, she found herself longingly waiting each time after, eagerly waiting to be in his company once more.

"Mr. Wilde, could you tell anything more about Sophie's mother? Judy asked one day during a wonderful spring day, walking along the manors ground, close to a lovely stream.

"Sophie's mother was from the capital city, Zootopia. During my younger adult years, I was called upon to take over the major running of the manor, due my father's untimely sickness and later passing. Business, I came to find out, forced me to the capital almost weekly." Nick spoke as both continued to walk along the water's edge. "One night, I ventured to this stage performance. I do not even recall the name of it now, if you would believe me." Nick laughed to himself at this realization. "Seeing her on the stage, Elizabeth, was her name, I was simple struck by her beauty.

"So you married her." Judy said softly.

"No. But she was my grand passion. Sometime later, on one of my return trips to her, she had simply vanished. I searched for her, spending nearly a small fortune in the course of it." Nick, taking a deep breath, stopped along a tall oak tree, motioning to Judy to sit with him at a nearby bench. "When I finally did find her almost four years ago, I immediately went to her, only to find her destitute and dying. She asked me, lying there on her death bed, asking me for her forgiveness. It then she told me of Sophie."

Judy, sitting next to him, could do nothing but look at Nick, his head lowered to his chest as he relived such sorrowful memories.

"Have you ever been in love, Miss Hopps?" Nick asked, raising his head up to look at her.

"No, sir, I have not" Judy replied.

"I thought as much from how young you are, for you have never really felt real love. Your heart sleeps, Miss Hopps, so soundly. But I will tell you, Miss Hopps, there will come a day in your life when it will wake, and you will feel so totally helpless to stop it." Nick said, still staring at Judy.

Later that night along Judy's bedroom corridor, a shadowy figure was walking along the lonely passages. Judy, sleeping lightly in her bed, was suddenly awakened by the sound of thumping along her bedroom walls.

"Hello?" Judy softly called out. Her eyes quickly scanned her bedroom.

Suddenly, turning her gaze to her bedroom door, she watched as the door handle began to shake as if someone desperately wanted entrance.

"Sophie? Is that you?" She quickly called out. The sound of heavy breathing and then the grisly sound of laughter began to echo along the hall. "Who's there?" Judy spoke out once more, louder.

Withdrawing herself from the warm covers of the bed, she placed both feet onto the cold bedroom floor, her mind feeling a sense of fear descend as she stood in her room dressed in her white nightdress. Slowly crossing to the bedroom door, she listened carefully as she slowly began to unlatch the bedroom lock. Opening her door, she leaned slowly out along the long dark corridor, gazing into the blackness of the night. Stepping out fully in the corridor landing, a low cackle suddenly sounded to her left as Judy turned staring down the passage. Walking along the hallway, Judy suddenly noticed something as she neared an adjoining hallway. Sitting on the wooden floor sat a small candle burning in a simple holder. Reaching down, she raised the candle to eye level as she turned around, looking for whoever may have left it on the floor.

Suddenly Judy's senses began to notice something quickly and she watched as smoke slowly beginning to creep along the lonely hallway. Following the trail of smoke, Judy stopped near the far end of the hallway at a half opened doorway. Reaching the door, she slowly pushed the door fully open. What her eyes looked upon as she entered sent a strong chill down along her spine. Entering a magnificent large bedroom she found Nick, laying in a king size bed currently on fire.

"Mr. Wilde! Mr. Wilde! Wake up please!" Judy began to call out, rushing to him and shaking him.

Rushing to a nearby wash stand close by the bedroom door, she quickly grabbed a half filled wash bowl, and threw it onto fire. Still unable to wake Nick, Judy, turning back to the wash stand, grabbed the water pitcher and quickly threw the contents into the face of the heavily sleeping Nick, waking him finally.

"Mr. Wilde, you need to get up." Judy called out again.

"What the hell is going on here?" Nick yelled out as he jumped out of bed in his nightshirt. Quickly grabbing and tearing the side curtains off along the bedframe, he quickly began smothering the fire out. Jane crossing the bedroom began opening the windows, allowing fresh air into the room.

"Someone tried to set fire to your bed while you sleep, sir!" Judy said, looking at Nick on the floor.

"So you thought you would try and drown me as well, did you?" Nick said standing up.

"Mr. Wilde, I found that candle…" Judy said pointing to the candle on the washing station. "…sitting on the floor down the hallway from you. I heard someone trying to enter my room moments before that, laughing." Walking back to the door, Judy turned back to Nick. "I'll go wake Mrs. Otterton and…."

"You will do no such thing!" Nick called out. "What could she possibly do?" Nick spoke frantically. "Sit down, Miss Hopps, over here. You're shaking." Nick spoke, motioning her to a chair.

"I must not, sir, I need to go back to my room." Judy said shakily

"You just saved my life and now want to leave me. Do as you are told and sit down." Nick said in stern tone. "Stay here, I will be back in a minute." Nick said speaking fast, leaving Judy in the room alone.

Minutes later, returning to the bedroom, Nick glanced as Judy shivered in the chair, one of his blankets wrapped around her. Walking up to her, he sat down against the slightly burned bed.

"Why do you allow her to stay here, this Anna? Why is she always up on the third floor, laughing throughout hallways at night? Is she another passion of yours?" Judy asked Nick softly.

"Anna? Yes…Anna. She has been a faithful servant of my family." Nick replied back, a little too weakly.

"She could have killed you." Judy spoke, fear in her voice.

"She did not kill me, you saved me, Miss Hopps." Nick spoke, as he knelt down alongside the chair with Judy. Reaching out with his paws he gently enclosed hers in his. "These soft, wonderful paws…" He softly began brushing them, his eyes, level with hers.

"I must return to my room…goodnight." Judy spoke quickly, interrupting Nick, suddenly jumping up, rushing out of his bedroom and leaving him in a state of shock.

Back in her own room, Judy curled up within her own bed, lost in the events which had just fallen upon her. Crying softly, she slowly closed her eyes as she felt her body give way to the emotions now erupting inside her.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 8

Rising late the next morning, Judy was surprisingly met by silence as she began making her way down the long passages. Reaching the edge of the second floor railing, she glanced down at the house servants moving slowly about.

"Benjamin." Judy called down, seeing the timber wolf footman begin to cross the main hall.

"Yes, Miss Hopps." Benjamin said as he slowed to a stop, looking up at Judy.

"Have you seen Mrs. Otterton this morning?" Judy asked.

"I believe the last time I saw her she was in the conservatory with young Miss Borrows." Benjamin said, continuing once more through the hall.

"Thank you, Benjamin." Judy called back as she made her way down the staircase.

Reaching the indoor conservatory near the back end of the manor, Judy began to hear Mrs. Otterton and Sophie laughing. As she neared more closely to the both of them, she suddenly stopped as she listened to Mrs. Otterton. Describing a time in her youth with her late husband, who was an undergardener at an estate many years ago Mrs. Otterton, Judy observed, sat with Sophie near some wild flowers growing close by.

"He would always bring me these flowers…" Mrs. Otterton said, leaning down, slowly brushing the tops of the wild flowers. "…from the gardens at Damton Court where he worked in his youth. He would walk nearly two miles each day just to call on me. I was just young house maid back then, working for a very honorable leopardess, she…" Mrs. Otterton suddenly stopped, noticing Judy standing nearby. "Miss Hopps, there you are. I am sorry not to have woken you earlier."

"No need to apologize, Mrs. Otterton. I did not sleep very well last night." Judy said, somewhat honestly. Smiling back at Mrs. Otterton, she shifted her gaze toward Sophie. "Sophie, are you ready for today's lessons?"

"Oh yes, Miss Hopps, I am very eager to get started." Sophie said, fully of energy.

"Well then, go on up and I will be there shortly to check on your progress." Judy said, raising her paw and brushing Sophie's cheek as she left. Watching the young fox leave, Judy waited a few moment before turning toward Mrs. Otterton. "Did you hear about last night?" Judy asked as she looked into the elderly otter's eyes.

"Oh yes, I did, but not to worry, it was all cleaned and taken care of quickly this morning." Mrs. Otterton said as they walked out of the conservatory toward the kitchen.

"Did he tell you what happened?" Judy asked, her heart beginning to beat faster.

"Just that there was a little accident involving a candle stick that is all. There was no real damage, thank the maker. Tabitha and another maid have the mattress airing out as we speak. It may have to be mended a little, and the sheets are total loss, but again nothing to be troubled about." Mrs. Otterton said, smiling back.

"I think it was Anna, Mrs. Otterton." Judy suddenly began to speak fast. "She set the fire to his bedroom on purpose." As she said these words, she watched Mrs. Otterton's expressions for any truth in what she was saying. "Ask Mr. Wilde for yourself, he will tell you."

"Anna? Surely not. I do not think she has a hurtful bone in her to tell you the truth. Anyway, it is no good asking Mr. Wilde, Miss Hopps, he left early this morning." Mrs. Otterton said as turned down a narrow stairwell to her office.

"What? When? Will he be back soon?" Judy asked, her mind shocked in the light of this news.

"Oh my word, all these questions at once." Mrs. Otterton said turning and entering her office room. "He left just after breakfast. He said he was going to be making a call to the Stevens, in the nearby district." Mrs. Otterton said as she sat down at her desk, Judy slowly taking a side chair near the door. "The last time he went to the Stevens, oh my, he must had been there at least a full month, if my memory serves me right."

"Who are the Stevens?" Judy spoke softly, not wishing to seem as if she was prying.

"They are a newer family of position, they own a large estate close to the Sahara District, if I remember. Their fortune comes mostly from banking and investments." Mrs. Otterton said. "Mr. Wilde became acquainted with Mr. Stevens years ago. Back then Mr. Stevens was just a simple coal miner, supervising the operations for a poorly run mining company Mr. Wilde was thinking of purchasing. Mr. Stevens took some helpful advice from Mr. Wilde and left the company and invested his money in a new enterprise. After that, Mr. Stevens quickly began to prosper in his own right through the investment adventure and now owns a great deal in the banking industry."

"Have you ever meet this, Mr. Stevens?" Judy asked.

"No, I cannot say I have. But Miss Veronica Stevens, I have had the honor of her company once. I believe it was during an autumn ball here at the manor before you arrived, Miss Hopps."

"Who is Miss Stevens?" Judy asked slowly taking a deep breath as her mind turned from Nick.

"Why she is Mr. Stevens' daughter, and what an elegant vixen she is too, her features are simply amazing. Between you and me, I think Miss Stevens has a rather soft spot when it comes to likes of Mr. Wilde." Mrs. Otterton replied to Judy's question. Suddenly turning toward Judy, Mrs. Otterton's smile fell slightly as she look at gray bunny before her. "Are you alright dear? You seem pale all of a sudden."

"What…oh yes…I am perfectly well thank you, Mrs. Otterton." Judy said, running a paw down along her ears as they hung low near her shoulders. "Thank you for your time, Mrs. Otterton, I had better go up to Sophie." Judy, standing up rather fast, quickly left the small office making her way toward the second floor library.

"Why did he have to leave so soon?" Sophie asked Judy as she arrived in the library shortly later.

"Mr. Wilde needed to see some people in the nearby district." Judy said to Sophie.

"I miss him so much when he is away." Sophie, her eyes beginning to water slightly said looking down at her course book.

"Come here my little one." Judy said calling over to her, Judy's arms held open as she walked up to Sophie. Sophie, slowly rising up, embraced her. "Time will pass, Sophie. What we must do now is cherish that time we had, and may have in the future." Judy said resting Sophie's head against hers.

Still embracing, both females smiled back at one another. Judy slowly wiped Sophie's eyes free of any tears as they soon sat back down at the library table. In the days that followed Mr. Wilde's departure the manor seemed to have at last settled back down to its simple routine.

After nearly a fortnight since Nick's departure, Judy found herself sitting quietly along one of the library windows, her head pressed up against the cool glass as she glanced out onto the lush green grounds. Judy, for the first time since arriving here, felt so alone, longing for Nick's company once more.

"Are you alright, Miss Hopps?" Sophie asked as she watched Judy closely from the table she was sitting at in the center of the library. "

"Yes, Sophie, I am quite well. I was just think about something for a moment." Judy said back, looking at Sophie from the window seat.

Quickly turning back toward the window, Judy's eyes suddenly caught a figure quickly approaching the manor. Watching a brown haired ferrite on a small bicycle quickly approaching the manor, she noticed as he neared the main entrance that he was in rather a hurry. Minutes later, having watched the ferret leave just as quickly as he arrived, a loud cry began to echo far below. Rising up from the window seat, Judy began walking over to the library door.

"Tabitha! Tabitha! Where are you? Margery, Lizzy?" Judy heard as Mrs. Otterton's voice called out, growing louder.

Opening the library door, Judy stepped out into the hallway as she watch the elderly otter begin to approach her. "Mrs. Otterton, what is the matter?" Judy asked, Sophie quickly stepping out behind her.

"Miss Hopps, please, I need your help right away. Can you help me with rounding up the staff?" Mrs. Otterton asked, clutching a letter in her paw. "Mr. Wilde is returning in three days. He has instructed us to prepare all the rooms."

"Why, this there something happening?" Judy asked.

"My word, is there something happening? I have to say yes, Miss Hopps. I need everyone down in the great hall." Mrs. Otterton said turning quickly around, again calling out to the staff.

"That is everyone, Mrs. Otterton." Benjamin said minutes later as he and a few other servants entered the hall.

"Thank you, Benjamin. Now, I called everyone here because in three days the place needs to be ready to welcome a large party of at least eight guests." Mrs. Otterton said looking at everyone. "Tabitha, I need you to start in the east wing with Benjamin, we need each the mattress turned and prepared."

"Yes, Mrs. Otterton" Tabitha replied.

"Leodore." Mrs. Otterton turned toward the chauffeur. "Drive down to the village inn and bring back a second cook, also ask them if they can spare a couple of chamber maids. I do not care if you have to offer them double pay, I just need the extra paws."

"Very well, Mrs. Otterton." Leodore replied.

"I am splitting your maids up into two groups." Mrs. Otterton said pointing to three vixens, two ewes and a skunk. I want one group on the ground floor, the second, upstairs. Dust and clean every inch." Turning to three footman, Mrs. Otterton steadied herself. "I need you three to polish whatever you can. Concentrate on all dining silver, candlesticks, and brass. Once Benjamin is finished helping Tabitha he will assist you further, the same goes for Tabitha with the maids. Any questions at this time?"

"No, Mrs. Otterton." Everyone called out.

"Alright then, let us all show Casterly Manor at its finest. Now off with all of you." Mrs. Otterton said.

"Mrs. Otterton, can I be of any help?" Judy asked walking up to her.

"Oh my dear, you are most grateful in asking, follow me." Mrs. Otterton replied. Suddenly catching sight of the gardener she quickly changed direction towards him. "Henry, how are our vegetable stores looking?"

"Stable at the moment, the new crops are ready for harvesting. I was planning on waiting till the following week to start gathering them." Henry replied back to Mrs. Otterton's question.

"I will need them as fast as you can. Also, can you have Kreston sent to the orchard to get fresh fruit?" Mrs. Otterton asked looking at the beaver.

"I will, Mrs. Otterton, you do not have to worry about a thing." Henry said as he began to walk toward the direction of the back gardens.

Just as Mr. Wilde had informed everyone at Casterly Manor, three days after receiving his letter, Mrs. Otterton and staff were to be seen silently standing inside along the main entrance of the manor, welcoming their guests. Sophie, who was still too young and not permitted, was forced to watch from the second floor. Judy, standing next to Sophie, as a governess, also was not permitted to be present on the ground floor, unless she was instructed to present Sophie before the guests or to receive orders by members of the family during the arrival of guests.

Sophie, eagerly standing along the railing, watched as a light brown colored Veronica Stevens slowly entered with an elderly vixen, followed by Nick a few minutes later. Wearing a full length violet dress, enhancing she slender and well developed figure, Veronica's beauty, Judy observed alongside Sophie, was just as Mrs. Otterton had described. Miss Stevens had light brown fur which seemed to glow in the shower of the early afternoon sunlight. Everything, from her gray eyes to her black fur paws, looked so elegant and sophisticated.

"Mrs. Otterton, it is a pleasure to meet you again." Miss Stevens said reaching the elderly otter. "This is my dear mother, Mrs. Stevens." Miss Stevens said, motioning to the elder vixen. "The journey has tired us so greatly, could we trouble you for some refreshments?" Miss Stevens asked.

"With great pleasure, Miss Stevens. Tabitha will see that both of you are well taken care of." Mrs. Otterton said motioning to Tabitha.

Slowly, the two vixen began to walk along the entrance and into the great hall.

"Well, mama, how do find Casterly Manor? It is slightly gloomy at first, do you not think so?" Veronica asked softly as she clasped her mother's arms.

"It has potential." Mrs. Stevens replies back, the elderly vixen's dark eyes quickly scanning the rooms.

"True." Veronica answered back. "Add some carpets and nicer pictures along the walls would make a world of difference."

Turning back toward Mrs. Otterton, Veronica smiled back to her, "We will be in the drawing room, Mrs. Otterton."

"Very good, Miss." Mrs. Otterton said, turning quickly to the staff and assigning each of them tasks.

"Come on, Sophie, we should get back to your lessons." Judy said softly.

"I want to go downstairs, please." Sophie asked, looking at Judy.

"No, Sophie, you cannot." Judy replied.

"Why?" Sophie asked.

"Because, Sophie, if Mr. Wilde wanted to see you, he would have asked to see you. Right now he is too occupied with his guests." Judy replied.

Throughout the remainder of the day, both Sophie and Judy found it very difficult to concentrate fully, as the voices of both guests and staff loudly echoed along the hallway leading to the library. By early evening Judy and Sophie, having retired to Sophie's day nursery for a little more peaceful quiet, suddenly had a short visit from Mrs. Otterton.

"Miss Hopps, I can only stay a moment." Mrs. Otterton said tiredly. "I have been told by Mr. Wilde, he wants both of you down stairs in the main drawing room after dinner. I will have Tabitha or possibility Lizzy bring both your trays up early so you each have time to eat and change before."

Sophie, hearing these words, quickly jumped off the floor where she was seconds before reading her book happily, and began to dance about the room.

"He cannot want me to remain downstairs?" Judy asked the elderly otter.

"I have also been instructed to inform you personally that if you refuse, Mr. Wilde said he will come up here and bring you down himself." Mrs. Otterton said relaying the message.

"I do not own a dress suitable, all I have are my gray ones." Judy said looking worried.

"I do not feel anyone will notice dear, so do not worry too much about that." Mrs. Otterton answered back.

Later that evening, sitting in the drawing room with Sophie, Judy quietly began to think of what Mr. Wilde meant by ordering her to remain there for the course of the evening. Sitting there, waiting for the dinner party to arrive, she mentally began preparing herself. Judy truly felt at the moment, when Nick walked through the door, she would feel completely separated from him. She was composed and prepared for those soft green eyes and that beautiful smile she so longed for and adored. No…Judy quickly told herself, stopping at that moment, feeling flushed by those thoughts. She must look at him and tell herself over and over how stupid she was being, to think how someone like her could let herself become attracted to someone so beyond her position and species.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 9

As the door to the drawing room opened Judy, taking one last deep breath, watched as a group of ladies from the dinner party slowly enter the drawing room. Raising up from their seats near the fireplace, Judy watched as Veronica approached Sophie.

"What a beautiful little vixen you are my dear." Veronica said reaching out with her paw. "You must be the famous Sophie. Nicholas talks of nothing else when he is away. Now I know why." Veronica spoke to Sophie, not once noticing Judy standing alongside Sophie near the fire. "Mama, look over here at this adorable little vixen. Is she not the most adorable little thing you have seen?"

"Not since you were that age, my dear." Mrs. Stevens replied back as she resumed her conversation with the other two ladies in the party near the fire.

Slowly, withdrawing toward the rear of the drawing room, Judy quietly sat at a nearby arm chair along one of the room's large windows. Taking a small, yellow covered book left by Mrs. Otterton from the prior evening, she began to read softly. Carefully tuning her ears toward the direction of the drawing room door, she listened eagerly as she began to hear faint, deep voices approaching.

"Now, Thomas, I mean it, we shall have none of that here tonight." Nick's voice could be heard as gentlemen's voices from just outside the drawing room.

Entering happily, one of the male mammals, an elderly fox and Nick laughed at one another as they were followed into the drawing room by four other male guests. Judy, lowering her book, felt her heart quicken as she watched Nick cross the room with the group of gentleman, as they made their way toward the ladies sitting by the fire. Nick, as he crossed the room, did not looked at Judy once.

"Nicholas." Veronica called out, turning toward Nick. "She is such a sweet little vixen, Nicholas, she truly is. I must know how on earth you are able to manage being here so long with her at home."

"My life here is not all that complicated, Veronica." Nick replied, smiling back at Sophie. "When I am at home, I truly enjoy having a vixen for company."

Veronica, hearing this, laughed slightly as she held on to Sophie's shoulders. "She should be in a school, Nicholas. Is she not old enough yet?"

"Oh no, Veronica, schools around here are by far more expensive than my wallet can afford, at their levels." Nick said happily. "Besides, she loves being here. Do you not agree, Sophie? Nick asked turning to the young fox.

"Yes I do, really." Sophie said, turning her head towards Judy's direction, smiling proudly.

Judy smiled back happily at the young fox. Since taking on her pupil, she had grown to truly care for Sophie very much. Still sitting, she returned to her reading as Nick's guests continued to gather and talk amongst themselves.

"I still do not understand why you must keep her here, Nicholas?" Veronica said, as she pulled Nick aside from the other guests. "There are plenty of simple boarding schools that are very inexpensive."

Smiling back at Veronica, Nick let out a small, light cough. "Veronica my dear, I do not wish to put Miss Borrows through that kind of life. I remember myself being sent to boarding school during my childhood. How I missed being around familiar faces. When I heard of the loss of my dear lovely sister, I was simply destroyed." Slowly Nick turned away from Veronica and began to walk toward a painting close to where Judy was sitting. "I sometimes sit here and look up at her, asking why such a lovely creature could ever be taken from this world?"

Judy, hearing this, slowly began to raise her eyes slightly toward the painting Nick and Veronica were near. Judy observed how much grand detail the artist bestowed to the vixen and her dress in the painting. A young, light red fur vixen with white marking stared out at the room with soft hazel eyes, sitting on what appeared to be a green velvet arm chair smiling out at the guests. Wearing a beautiful cream colored off the shoulders pigeon-breasted ball gown, Judy noticed also how it was styled lovely with floral and leaf motifs in a tambour style.

"Is this your dear late sister, Nicholas?" Veronica asked watching Nick stare at the painting.

"Yes, that was Margaret as I remember her." Nick replied softly, lowering his eyes away from the painting.

"What happened to her, to die so young? You never have spoken about her in the years we have known each other." Veronica asked, glancing at Nick as he turned to head back towards his other guests.

"When Margaret was born, the doctor noticed quickly there was something wrong with her." Nick spoke once more in a hush tone. "As she grew up, she was always weak and tiresome. During one summer while I away at my boarding school in the capital, I received a letter from my father. My dear sister got caught outside during a terrible rain storm. She started developing respiratory problems. By the time I was able to make it back home to see her, it was too late."

"So by having, Sophie in the house with you, you feel as if you have your dear younger sister back?" Veronica asked, a smug look crossing her face.

"No, Veronica, I keep Sophie here as a promise to her late mother, to always look after her." Nick replied slightly harshly.

"Well, the least you can do is provide her with a governess." Veronica said looking about the room.

"I have my dear, and a very capable governess at that, may I add." Nick spoke, his voice returning back to normal volume.

"Oh my word, did I hear that right, Nicholas, you have a governess here?" Mrs. Stevens said suddenly turning toward Nick and her daughter, Veronica.

"Yes, mama, you heard him correctly." Veronica spoke loudly to her mother laughingly. Turning to face Nick, she began to softly laugh hysterically. "That word is enough to send mama into fits of hysteria, Nicholas. My kit sister is on what is it now mama, her sixth one?" Veronica laughed with her mother.

"Most of them, Nicholas, were just simply horrid, or plainly unsuited for educational teaching." Mrs. Steven said, talking to Nick.

"Oh mama, tell Nicholas about Miss Thornfinger." Veronica announced, giggling. "How she would burst out in anger whenever we would tease or abuse her. Such a horrid thing she was. My dear little sister was so happy to be rid of her."

Judy, hearing this, began to express silently her full disgust in Mrs. Stevens and her daughter. Closing her book rather quickly, setting it upon the table once more, Judy rose from her solitary chair, preparing to leave the party. Nick, noticing Judy's movement, slowly began to step away from Veronica and her mother.

Veronica, noticing this talk was having a negative response from Nick, in hasty response called out to the party at large. "Shall we have some music?" Mrs. Stevens, sensing something amiss, quickly sat in front of the room's pianoforte. Veronica, turning around, witnessed Nick exiting through the open drawing room door.

Leaving the drawing room as quickly as possible, Judy began to climb the staircase wishing nothing else but to be alone in her bedroom.

"Miss Hopps!" Nick called out from ground floor. "Where are you going?"

"To my room, sir." Judy answered back as she stood along the staircase railing.

"Are you ill?" Nick asked worriedly

"No, sir, I am not." Judy answered back.

"Then why, may I ask, are you going to your room?" Nick again asked.

"I am tired, Mr. Wilde. I think it would be best if I retire for the night." Judy answered back again.

"Nonsense, Miss Hopps, utter nonsense. Now come back to the drawing room." Nick called back to her.

"Come back? Only to be insulted by your guests?" Judy called back down.

"Why, may I ask, did you not come and speak to me?" Nick asked, his green eyes watching Judy very closely in the low burning light along the stairwell. "Are you not pleased to see me after all these weeks gone? I would think it would be at least polite for you to wish me good evening before leaving. Would you not say so, Miss Hopps?"

"You were highly engaged with your guests, Mr. Wilde." Judy said, responding to Nick's questions. "I am sorry but I must go."

Judy, turning back up toward the stairs, once again began her climb up. Nick, staring from below, simply looked shocked by Judy's actions.

"Where are you going? I have not dismissed you, Miss Hopps." Nick called out.

"Good night, sir." Judy spoke softly as she reached the second floor landing, heading down toward her room.

"Miss Hopps…Miss Hopps?" Nick once again called out. "Alright, I will excuse you tonight. But mark my words, I expect you to be in the drawing room every evening. Is that clear." Nick yelled up the stairs.

"Nicholas, is everything alright? Who are you shouting at?" Veronica asked as she approached Nick along the foot of the staircase.

"It is nothing Veronica, nothing to concern you about." Nick replied back, giving her a slight smile. "I best return to my guests before they start to worry."

In the days that passed since the arrival of the Stevens and other friends of Nick, Judy was to be found in the same location in drawing room each night, sitting quietly in the arm chair, reading a book along the window. During one eventful evening in which the party finished an exciting game of charades, a knock was suddenly heard as the drawing room door slowly began to open.

"Mr. Wilde?" Mrs. Otterton announced herself as she slowly entered the drawing room.

"What is it Mrs. Otterton?" Nick asked looking questionably at the otter.

"A Mr. Gideon Gray is here to see you sir, from Meadowlands District." Mrs. Otterton spoke in a low tone.

"Is he? Well can you inform him I am rather busy at the moment and to please call back tomorrow?" Nick said looking around the room.

"He said he need to talk to you immediately." Mrs. Otterton said, now looking frightened at the look Nick gave her at these words.

Silently, Nick took a deep breath as he closed his eyes for a split second. "Very well. Take him to my private office, Mrs. Otterton, and tell him I will be right with him."

Mrs. Otterton, hearing this command, quickly turned and left the room.

"Would you all please excuse me?" Nick called to the party.

During the late hours of that night, a dark figure slowly walked along the lonely corridors. Turning down the side hallway leading to the third floor, the figure suddenly stopped before the wooden door. Glancing over its shoulder, the figure removed a long metal key and placed it into the lock of the door.

"Help me! Someone help me!" A male voice twenty minutes later suddenly began to erupt along the second floor corridors.

Judy, waking suddenly and hearing the voice cry out in pain and sheer horror, got up out of her bed suddenly. Quickly grabbing her dressing robe, she crossed the length of her room in a hurry, thinking only of her young pupil, Sophie. Reaching her door and listening carefully, Judy began to hear the sound of paw steps quickly approaching. Stepping back slightly from her door, the paw steps began to slow. Judy, gripped with fear, slowly began backing her way slowly from the door, not wanting to make a sound.

"Knock…knock…knock."

Judy, her noise twitching vigorously, suddenly held her breath.

"Miss Hopps…Miss Hopps, are you awake?" Nick's voice sounded from behind the door.

"Yes." Judy responded quickly, gasping as she breathed once again.

"Get dressed, quickly, I need your help." Nick called back sound worried.

Rushing back to the door, she opened it, staring out on a nervously faced Nick holding a solitary candle, wearing his long night shirt.

"Come with me, and quickly." Nick said in a whispery voice.

Grabbing Judy's paw in his, he quickly began to walk back along the second floor corridor.

"What was that? What is going on?" Veronica said as she stepped out from her bedroom, wearing a white night dress under a powder blue robe.

"Nothing, a servant just had a terrible nightmare, go back to sleep." Nick called back to the vixen as he and Judy turned the corner of the corridor and down a side hallway.

Stopping suddenly at a door, Nick turned to Judy, his green eyes staring deeply into her violet eyes. "Do you faint at the slight of blood?" Nick asked quickly.

"No, sir." Judy replied as she glanced up at Nick once more. "Is it Anna?" Judy quickly asked, noticing the door they were about to enter.

Climbing up a narrow staircase, following Nick into an empty side room, Judy suddenly saw Mr. Gideon Gray laying on the ground against the wall. As the light drew on a rather heavy red fox on the floor, Judy quickly began to see claw marks along his snout and clothing.

"Help me please, I need a doctor." Gideon said weakly. "She bit and clawed me like she was savage…"

"I told you, but you still did not want to listen to me." Nick said quickly in a low voice interrupting.

"I just wanted to help." Gideon said breathing heavily.

Judy, lowering herself to the ground, quickly began examining Gideon. Breathing heavily as she began exposing his wounds to the light of the candle she quickly began applying pressure to them. "These wounds are very deep! I need to stop the bleeding." Judy called out.

"I have something here to help relieve some of the pain." Nick said speaking quickly once more.

"She bit my neck and sucked on it like some kind of vampire." Gideon called out, still breathing heavily.

"Stop that right now, you are going to frighten Miss Hopps." Nick called back quickly once more. "Here, swallow this! I will go get my driver, Leodore and he will to take you to the village doctor." Turning to Judy, Nick looked down at her as she continued to care for Gideon. "Will you stay here with him?"

"Of course I will." Judy replied.

Quickly turning, closing the door behind him, Nick's paw steps quickly began to fade down the steps. Turning back to, Gideon, Judy's mind began to race. Who could do so such violence to another mammal? As the minutes began to pass by, Gideon slowly began to fall sleep, due to the medication Nick had given him. Laying on the hard stone floor, Judy suddenly heard the sound of the door at the bottom of the stairs open slowly.

Turning her head slowly toward the slightly open door in front of her, Judy's fear once more gripped hold of her. Someone or something was slowly climbing the stairs. Rising up silently, she softly walk toward to the partially closed door. Listening vigorously, strange deep low breathing began to slowly advance closer to the door as the wooden stairs creaked ever so slightly as the stranger stepped on them.

Reaching the door Judy, placing a single paw onto its surface, suddenly began to feel the door being pushed open by an outside force. Her violet eyes growing ever wider with fear, she slowly began to back herself behind the opening door, pressing herself up again the wall.

Entering slowly, holding a single candle in its paw, an elderly female vixen unknown to Judy entered the room. Advancing toward the sleeping body of Gideon Gray, the vixen reached out with a dark paw and clasped Gideon along his shoulder. Judy, unable to physically scream or move, could only watch shockingly through a small narrow crack running down the old door, shielding her. Breathing ever so slowly, Judy watched as the vixen slowly began to lower herself down toward the unconscious Gideon. Her long ears, capturing the deep sounds of the vixen inhaling deeply along Gideon's body, sniffing him. The vixen, not once noticing Judy hiding behind the door, nor having uttered a single word, slowly began to raise herself from off the ground. Judy continuing to stare, transfixed, through the small crack as she watched as the elderly vixen slowly turned and proceeded to leave the room. Grabbing hold of the door with her free paw, the vixen slowly began to close the door behind her as she proceeded back down along the stairs.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 10

Judy, exhaling deeply, listened carefully as the unknown vixen's footsteps began descending the stairs, fading into silence. Rushing back over to Gideon, Judy fell to the floor next to the unconscious fox.

"Sir, please, can you hear me?" Judy called softly to the fox, shaking him. "Please, you have to wake up." Judy repeated as Gideon opened his eyes slightly.

Suddenly from behind her, fast steps began once more climbing the stairs beyond the small room she and the injured fox were in. As she was raising herself again off the floor, the door to the room quickly opened.

"Miss Hopps, what is it? Is anything wrong?" Nick asked, quickly seeing the deep fear on Judy's face as he entered the room, fully clothed, having changed out of his sleeping shirt.

"I saw her, Mr. Wilde…Anna…she was right here not even a moment ago." Judy said, speaking very fast, pointing at the door to the room. "I thought she was coming back to kill him, but she did not."

"I am sorry, Miss Hopps, I should have never left you alone up here." Nick said, still looking at Judy's fearful expression. "But you are completely safe, I promise."

"Safe?" Judy asked appallingly. "How can anyone in this manor house be safe with that savage mammal in it?"

"Miss Hopps, please, I promise, I will do something, but right now we need to get him downstairs and to the auto car." Nick said quickly, pointing to Gideon.

Nick, grabbing hold of one of Gideon's arms, swung it over and around his head, as he began lifting Gideon Gray up. "Gideon? I need you wake up."

As the early morning skyline slowly began to lighten, Nick, positioning Gideon in the rear seat of the auto car, turned to Leodore. "I need you to get him doctor Sanders' house as quickly as you can." Nick said hastily to Leodore.

"Yes sir, I will." Leodore replied back quickly rushing to the driver's seat.

"Nicholas." Gideon's weak voice suddenly spoke from the rear seat as he began to gasp for air, coughing with each few words. "Please, take care of her. She is in a very delicate condition."

"I will continue to do the best I can, as I always have done." Nick replied hastily in a deep tone. "Leodore, go, quickly!"

As the auto car made its way out along the gravel path, Judy, exiting the front door now dressed in one of her simple dresses, watched how still Nick stood as he watched the car disappear. Advancing slowly toward him, covering herself with a long shawl around her shoulders, Judy simply stared at him.

"Was Mr. Gray talking about Anna?" Judy spoke in a light whisper. "Is she a relative of his, possibly?"

"Why does it matter if he is or is not, Miss Hopps?" Nick suddenly replied back, shouting. "I am sorry, I should never have barked at you like that. You do not deserve that type of response from someone like me. Forgive me, Miss Hopps." Nick spoke softly turning his eyes away from Judy.

"There is nothing to forgive, sir." Judy replied softly.

"Miss Hopps? Would you care to walk with me?" Nick asked suddenly turning to Judy. "It will be light soon. I have not watched the sunrise over the east gardens for some time now."

"Are you sure, Mr. Wilde?" Judy asked questionably, as each beat of her heart quickly increased.

"Please, Miss Hopps, I insist." Nick replied back.

Judy, turning her head up, quietly glanced up at the manor house. Slowly turning back to face Nick, Judy began to step forward, thinking only of the joy of being in Nick's company once more. Reaching the security of the manor's superb vegetable gardens, neither one having spoken a word, Nick suddenly stopped and turned toward Judy.

"Miss Hopps, please, I want to thank you once more of assisting me in a time of great need." Nick said to Judy as both stood in the vegetable garden.

"I was more than happy to, Mr. Wilde." Judy replied.

"No, you did not have to at all." Nick responded back. "It was wrong to ask of your help in such matters as to what had transpired. I should had never involve you." Nick said sadly.

"I do not fully understand your meaning, sir." Judy watched as Nick's eyes slowly began to gaze out into the distant grounds.

"Nothing, Miss Hopps." Nick said turning his head back toward Judy.

"Mr. Wilde, if it was not Anna who attacked Mr. Gray, who could have done such a thing?" Judy asked.

"I cannot tell you that, Miss Hopps. All I can say is that you, or anyone else in this house, are in no danger." Nick replied back as he continued to gaze at Judy.

"Sir, why are you protecting this…this beast? Did you not see the injuries made to Mr. Gray?" Judy spoke, her eyes reliving the sight of Gideon's bleeding. "What if it was Sophie or Mrs. Otterton?"

Turning his eyes fully away from Judy, not answering her question, Nick resumed the walk toward the east gardens, Judy still beside him. As they both soon arrived into the east garden, Nick began to walk over to a short wooden bench under a lonely Birch tree, sitting down quietly. Judy, observing Nick, his sadness evident in his movements and expression, slowly walked over and took a seat next to him.

"Miss Hopps, can I ask you something?" Nick spoke softly, as he gazed to the gardens edge.

"Certainly, Mr. Wilde." Judy replied quickly.

"Say there was a young mammal, lost and alone for the first time in their life, having no family or attachments. This mammal finds himself traveling to a place he has never seen nor experienced before, and makes a mistake while there." Nick asked, looking once more into Judy's eyes.

I do not know, sir. What kind of mistake would he have done?" Judy asked, replying back.

"Not a crime, but a lapse in simple judgment. Only now, many years later, this mammal may have a chance correcting that mistake from so many years ago. " Nick replied. "Do you think this mammal should take that chance, even though there is still a small, you could say, convention, which stands between that mistake and that mammal?"

Judy thought carefully about this question before replying. "If I was such a mammal, and I had made a mistake, I truly feel it would be a sense of duty in bearing any punishment or misfortune brought on by that convention."

Nick, hearing her reply, his eyes shocked, was left utterly speechless momentary. "What on earth does duty have to do with anything? Of course." Nick taking a deep breath. "Mr. Bogo's teaching I dare say. His faith in a higher being and living the remainder of your days in suffering."

Raising up from the bench, Nick motioned Judy to remain seated, as he circled the tree and bench. "Miss. Hopps, what would you do if I was to ask you to secure happiness?"

"For who, sir?" Judy asked, her mind racing with thoughts as if not of her own.

"You or I, let's say." Nick quickly replied.

"Well, I would want to do whatever I can to secure that happiness." Judy said as her head turned, watching Nick walk pass around once more.

Nick, stopping just behind Judy, turned his head back to the manor house and then quickly back to Judy. "I am sorry to trouble you with these questions Miss. Hopps. But I think I finally know the proper answer."

Judy, smiling slightly for the first time in days at Nick, titled her head slightly as she gazed up at him, standing over her. "Sir, why ask me these questions than?"

Walking around to face Judy once more, Nick sat along the bench with Judy again. "Because…I need to know for myself if my notions were true, and I now have an answer." Nick, turning his head toward the brightening skyline, watched as the morning sun rays rose up. "It's rising." Nick said standing up as Judy followed suit.

As the minutes went by, both Nick and Judy continued to stare as the sunrise rose higher and higher. Nick, turning slowly, watched Judy as she became lost in the beauty of the morning sunrise.

"I am sorry to keep you out here so long." Nick said softly to Judy. "We should make our way back to the house. I have missed our talks these past days."

"As I have also, Mr. Wilde." Judy replied.

Later that day, after morning lessons with Sophie had concluded, Judy, feeling the need to rest for an hour, began heading toward her room along the corridor when she began to hear her name suddenly called.

"Miss Hopps." Tabitha called, advancing toward Judy from the staircase. "Mrs. Otterton sent me to get you. You have a visitor downstairs."

"A visitor? Who?" Judy asked questionably.

"I do not know. Mrs. Otterton said they would be in the small sitting room off the foyer." Tabitha said, making her way back down staircase.

Confused as to who may be calling on her, Judy turned and descended the staircase. Reaching the small sitting room just inside the foyer, Judy quickly noticed an elderly looking gray female rabbit sitting in one of the chairs.

"Hello." Judy spoke lightly as she entered the small room. "Can I help you?"

The elderly rabbit, standing up and turning toward Judy, suddenly smiled as she looked quickly over her. "Miss Hopps, you have grown up into such a lady."

"I am sorry, but do I know you?" Judy asked.

"I've known you since you came to us as a little kitten with your uncle." The elderly rabbit said still smiling. "Before you left us I wished you only happiness."

"Bessie!" Judy called out, her eyes widening quickly. Rushing over to the gray rabbit, she quickly embraced the once young maid she knew before being sent to live at Clawood by her aunt. "Why are you here?" Judy asked, slowly releasing the elderly rabbit.

"Your aunt sent me to see you." Bessie said, her smile failing. "She's dying, your aunt. She says she needs to see you again."

"Why would she want to see me? What about my cousins?" Judy asked, not knowing what to think about this news of her aunt.

"Your cousin Johnathan is dead." Bessie responded, looking down at the floor. "Agatha and Sarah are with her now, but they have new lives now and do not want to be bothered long with their mother's health. Your aunt gave me this letter to give you." Handing Judy the sealed letter, Bessie turned to grab her hat lying on a side table. "I will be at the village inn tonight and then I have to get back to Bunnyborrow. Please think about it, young miss. I truly feel she needs to make peace with her life."

Judy, walking quickly toward the drawing room, the open letter from her aunt held tightly in her paw, opened the door and entered.

"Can I help you, Miss Hopps?" Lizzy, one of the house maids said, quickly looking up from the couch she was currently cleaning.

"Where is Mr. Wilde?" Judy asked suddenly, looking about the room.

"He went up to the library a few minutes ago, Mrs. Otterton told, me to clean the drawing room while everyone was out of it." Lizzy replied back, looking at Judy questioningly.

Turning back toward the main hall, Judy quickly began climbing the stairs to the second floor landing. Turning down the corridor towards the library, she began to hear laughter coming from beyond the library door. Grabbing hold of the door, Judy opened it, stepping quickly across the doorway.

"Mr. Wilde…I…" Judy spoke, suddenly stopping just inside the library. Nick, she quickly observed, was standing behind a seated Veronica, leaning in over her shoulder as both were in the process of reviewing large landscape paintings from an oversize leather bound book.

"What does that creature mean by rushing in here?" Veronica said, her eyes full of rage at Judy's disturbance.

"Mr. Wilde…please, I need a moment of your time." Judy spoke, gazing at Veronica with slight discuss.

"Come with me to my private office across the hall, Miss. Hopps." Nick spoke, walking around from behind Veronica in a business manner.

"Nicholas?" Veronica called out, as he and Judy stepped out of the library to his office, shocked slightly at being left alone.

Entering Nick's private office for the first time, Judy was immediately taken aback by the dark green walls within the room. Covered with maps of the world and colorful oil paintings, along the left side wall a dark ornate marble fireplace stood empty. Above the fireplace mantel, a large painting of a tall male fox standing in late colonial clothing glared out at the room. Turning her attention back to Nick, she observed him taking a seat at a rather large, ornate oak desk positioned in the center of the room. Judy, turning once more to the large painting over the fireplace, quickly noticed some very familiar likenesses to Nick.

"That is a painting of my late, dear father." Nick said softly as he watched Judy gazing up at the painting. "It was painted a year before his death."

"He has a very handsome face, your father." Judy said still gazing at the painting.

"Yes, he was always a ladies' man. I sometimes wonder what it must had been like for my dear mother." Nick said laughing. "Now, you have something important you needed to talk to me about?"

"Yes, sorry." Judy said suddenly remembering what she rushed to ask him. "Sir, may I have a leave of absence?"

"Why?" Nick asked, his face once full of laughter, now showing concern. "Are you not happy here at the present time?"

"No, nothing like that sir. You see, my aunt is dying, Mr. Wilde." Judy spoke, handing Nick the letter from her aunt. "She has asked for me to see her." Judy replied back.

"The same aunt that rejected you and forced you to live your childhood at Clawood?" Nick asked.

"Yes, sir, but should I deny her the chance to make amends before she departs this world?" Judy replied back. "Is it right to do that to someone?"

Nick, remaining quite for a few moments, reread the letter over two more times. "You will be traveling a long way, Miss Hopps. Bunnyborrow is at least a two days travel." Nick raised his eyes toward Judy. "Very well, you may go." Nick said getting to his feet "But, you must promise me one thing. You are not to stay any longer than what is required at your aunts." Reaching into his coat. Nick withdrew a money wallet from an inside pocket. "…I am giving you a month's salary to assist you on your trip."

Hearing this, Judy's face grew with joy as she began to beam back at Nick. "Thank you, sir, very much. I promise, I will return as soon as I am able. A maid from my aunt is staying at the village inn and will be leaving in the morning, I can travel to Bunnyborrow with her."

"Let me know and I will have Leodore take you down to the village whenever you are ready, Miss Hopps." Nick said as he approached her from around his desk. "I wish you a safe journey." Nick spoke softly, extending a red paw.

Judy, raising her own paw, felt a slight warm chill flow through her as her and Nick's paws clasped together. As both stood there in Nick's office, they continued to look at one another, wordlessly, holding the other's paw, unwilling to let go of the other.

"I must go." Judy said, suddenly returning to herself as she released Nick's paw. Exiting the room in rather a hurry, Judy began to rush down the hall toward her room.

"Nicholas, what on earth is going on?" Veronica said watching Judy rushing out of the office door, followed by Nick as she stood inside the library doorway. "Did you sack the little creature for her blatant rudeness? It is the only proper thing to do. Never would I, nor mother, allow a servant like that to just barge in while their employer was entertaining, demanding something from them." Veronica said, smiling at Nick.

"I think you and I have major differences when it comes to blatant rudeness, my dear Veronica." Nick said not looking at her but in the direction of Judy's form disappearing. "Forgive me, but I need to take care of a few things." Closing the door to his office, Nick, leaving Veronica still standing in the doorway of the library, began to make his way along the hallway, quietly.

"Nicholas, what about luncheon? We were to spend the afternoon…" Veronica called out toward Nick.

"I am sorry Veronica but I cannot, I have been outmaneuvered." Nick replied, not looking back at her.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 11

"Are you sure you have everything, Miss Hopps?" Mrs. Otterton asked as she and Sophie walked to the auto car, currently parked outside the main entrance.

"Yes, I think so, Mrs. Otterton." Judy answered back as she quickly climbed into the back seat. "Leodore, please, we need to hurry!"

"Let us know the date of your return and we will have Leodore meet you." Mrs. Otterton called to her.

"Please hurry back, Miss Hopps." Sophie said, her eyes filling up with tears as she was being held Mrs. Otterton.

"I will Sophie, and keep up with your studies." Judy said looking at the young vixen, giving her a loving smile as the auto car began to slowly advance forward toward the front gate.

As the auto car began to make its turn out the lane on unto the main road, Judy looked back at the manor house and began to cry tearfully as she watched Sophie and Mrs. Otterton begin to fade away into the early morning darkness.

As the train carrying Judy began to gradually decelerate into Bunnyborrow Station, Judy, glancing through her train carriage window at the awaiting platform, felt uneasiness began to overcome her.

As she continued searching along the platform, her eyes quickly caught slight of the elderly rabbit, Bessie, siting near the station ticket counter. Grabbing her two cases from an overhead storage area, Judy silently began to disembark the train carriage.

"Miss Hopps, thank you so much for coming." Bessie said getting up from her seat. "We got your message of your arrival yesterday." Bessie said walking up and embracing Judy.

"How is she, my aunt?" Judy asked.

"She has not improved since I arrived back; I feel it will not be long now." Bessie replied back. "Come, I have the auto car standing by to take us to the house."

Arriving at her aunt's house almost an hour later, Judy stared uneasily up at it as she exited the auto car. Glancing up at the windows, Judy almost, for a moment, expected her aunt's face to appear at one of them, glancing down her the way she did when Judy had left so many years ago.

"Miss Hopps, please, this way." Bessie said, motioning Judy through the front door.

As both ladies entered the main entry way, Judy quickly caught sight of two older bunnies coming down the staircase.

"Well, if it is not our long lost cousin." Agatha called down from the staircase, looking to her sister Sarah.

Sarah, catching sight of Judy, suddenly stopped as she peered toward the entry way where Judy was now standing, looking at both of them. "What is that evil creature doing back in this house? Bessie, what is the meaning of this?"

"Your mother had sent for her, Mrs." Bessie called up, addressing both sisters.

"Impossible! My dear mother…" Sarah pointed her paw finger down at Judy. "…would never have sent for her, let alone welcome her back into this house."

"Here, Sarah, read her letter for yourself." Judy quickly spoke, advancing toward the stairs as she unfolded the letter from her aunt. Climbing the first few steps to reach her cousin Sarah, Judy thrust the letter into her empty paw.

Agatha, leaning in, quickly began to read over her sister's shoulder, gasping as she read the words in own mother's handwriting. "Sarah, did you know about this at all? Mother never said a word."

"No, Agatha, no word was ever mentioned to me ether." Sarah said, still reading the letter.

"Bessie, will you please show me to my aunt's room?" Judy, turning back down to Bessie, said as she stared once more at her two cousins before her with distaste.

Making their way along a narrow corridor along the upper floor, the two ladies were suddenly met by short orange and white haired feline nurse.

"Nurse Ruth, is there something wrong with Mrs. Footerton?" Bessie asked looking into the cat's worried eyes.

"She is getting worse, Bessie." Nurse Ruth spoke back in a sad tone. "Who is this lovely lady?" Ruth asked gazing at the gray bunny as she stood close by Bessie.

"Oh yes, Ruth, this is Mrs. Footerton's niece, Miss Judy Hopps." Bessie said motioning to Judy. "Mrs. Footerton had requested to see her as soon as she arrived. Is she awake?"

"Yes, she is, but she does not know what is fully going on from time to time." Nurse Ruth said to both ladies. "Please follow me, Miss Hopps."

She led Judy and Bessie to a large chamber door along the end of the long corridor, opened it and motioned Judy inside the dark bedroom within. Judy, upon entering the bedroom, stopped just a few footsteps inside the massive room. Nurse Ruth, turning toward a pair of heavy curtains, opened them, revealing to Judy her frail aunt lying on a queen size bed.

Mrs. Footerton, pale and breathing heavily, raised her paw into the air as she tried to shield her eyes from the sun's rays beaming into the room.

"Aunt? Can you hear me?" Judy said softly as she walked up to her aunt's bed.

"Who is that? Agatha? I told you to leave me alone in peace, child. Why do you have to torture me with your worthless words?" Judy's aunt called out to the room.

"No I am not Agatha, it me aunt, it's Judy." Judy said, standing alongside her.

"Oh that name. How that name has tortured me all these years." Judy's aunt said, not looking up at her but her eyes fixed up on the ceiling. "My husband loved that child more than his own children. Why did I have to care for her?"

"Why did you not love me?" Judy asked, staring at her aunt.

Mrs. Footerton, turning her head toward Judy, suddenly noticed the bunny standing before her for the first time. "Who are you?"

"Judy. I am Judy Hopps, your niece." Judy replied back.

"Judy!" Mrs. Footerton's eyes quickly grew in shock as she stared shockingly at Judy. "I must talk to you alone."

Judy, catching Bessie's and Ruth's looks of curiosity, simply nodded toward her, as they both left the room, closing the door behind them.

"Sit, child" Mrs. Footerton called out to Judy.

Judy raised herself up onto the bed near her aunt's hind legs.

"I have wronged you child, twice in my life. I promised my loving husband I would watch over you, but I sent you away. The other I did out of hate for you." Mrs. Footerton said pleadingly

"Please aunt, I do not care of those offensives. I just…" Judy said.

"Please, hear me." Judy aunt said interrupting her. "I must make peace with the deeds I have done in this life." Raising her paw, Judy's aunt slowly pointed to a small writing desk along the far right wall. "Go over to my desk, child. There is a letter in the top drawer with a green ribbon around it. Read it."

Judy, obeying her aunt's wishes, walked over to the desk and removed the letter described by her aunt and began to read it out load.

 _My dear madam,_

 _I am writing to you to inquire on the condition of my dear niece, Judy Hopps. Since learning of the death of your honorable husband, I have come to the conclusion after these many long years that i wish for her come to see me at my estate. Having no children of my own, I wish to adopt my loving brother's only surviving child and name her as heir to my grand fortune. Your family, having cared greatly for her with utter kindness since the untimely death of her parents, I find I could never fully repay. Please allow her to come to me at the capital where, rest assured, she will continue to be cared for and loved, by both our families._

 _Yours,_

 _Charles Michael Hopps_

Having finished reading the letter, Judy turned to her aunt. "This letter is four years old. Why did you never tell me I had other family?" Judy asked dumbfounded.

Breathing heavily, Mrs. Footerton looked back at her, "I wrote back to him telling him you had died during your time at Clawood."

Shocked by those words, Judy simply could do nothing but stare back at her dying aunt.

"You were brought here to torment me, child." Mrs. Footerton said turning away from Judy. "You cursed me. My husband died because he brought you to us. My own son, my sweet child, is now dead. My daughters despise me." Mrs. Footerton suddenly began to cough violently.

"I would have loved you all if you would have given me a chance to. That was all I ever wanted, to have a family who would love me." Judy said reaching for her aunt's shacking paw. "Love me or hate me, but know that you have my full and utter forgiveness.

"Thank you child, I am…sorry…to…" Mrs. Footerton began to speak before coughing heavily. As she coughed Judy quickly began to notice her coughing up blood.

"Nurse Ruth!" Judy suddenly began to yell out. "Nurse Ruth, come quickly!"

Three days after arriving at her aunt's house, Judy sat with her two cousins at her aunt's bedside, where two hours before they watched Mrs. Footerton finally find peace. The following day, Judy sat silently in her late uncle's library writing a letter. As she slowly began to observe the room's familiar surroundings, Judy found herself remembering when she had hid from her cousin in this very room. Glancing toward the curtains along the grand windows, she remembered being struck to the ground. Turning back to her letter, Judy silently began to reread what she had written.

 _My dearest uncle,_

 _Four years ago, you received a misinformed letter from my aunt Mrs. Footerton, regarding myself having died while I was at Clawood Institute. My aunt, I am very sad to announce, passed away late last night. Before her death she had disclosed to me your letter to her. I am writing to you now from my aunt's residence to assure you I am very happily alive and well. I am ever so grateful to learn of your existence and would be almost too happy to be introduced to you at your earliest opportunity. I am due to return to my place of employment at Casterly Manor, where I am the governess to the ward of Mr. Nicholas Piberius Wilde, within the coming fortnight._

 _Your loving niece,_

 _Judy Hopps_

It was nearly a month since receiving the news of her aunt when Judy found herself once more walking along the lonely path heading back to Casterly Manor. Her mind, as she made her way along, filled with the recent memories of her reconnection with her uncle Charles Hopps and she failed to notice Nick sitting along the interior gate leading into the manor.

"Well, the helpful governess has valiantly returned." Nick called out, remaining on the green earth.

Turning around suddenly, Judy stared at Nick, her eyes wide in shock. "Mr. Wilde! I am sorry, I did not see you." Judy said nervously.

Rising up casually from the ground, Nick, taking his time putting on his coat, slowly began to walk up to Judy. "Obviously. Now may I ask where you have been this last month?"

"I had to assist my cousins with my aunt's funeral arrangements, sir." Judy said somewhat truthful, not wishing to tell Nick of her new position and wealth.

"I am sorry to hear about your aunt, truly." Nick said turning away from Judy as he stood up, brushing loose grass off himself before speaking once more to her. "Not one letter."

"What?" Judy asked, confused by these words.

Turning back towards her, Nick spoke again. "Not one single letter, did you send me." Nick walked closer to Judy continuing to gaze at her. "Mrs. Otterton got a letter, even young Sophie got a letter." Nick, turning his head away "No doubt, even Mr. and Mrs. Featherings got a letter, who I may add, paid us a visit while you were away, asking about you." Nick said returning his gaze at her. "But no, not me, that would be too much to ask. I, the master of the house, had to learn from Mrs. Otterton that you were due to arrive home today. When I asked further, she informed me you had not given an exact time." Nick stopped quickly to take breath. "I have gone down to the village twice now since this morning on foot to see if you have returned only to be disappointed each time."

Judy standing in front of Nick could do nothing but smile slightly up at him. Nick noticing this change of emotions simply stopped as he watched her.

"Well, it is a marvel to see I have finally found something to make you laugh in my presence. I am glad my distress amuses you so much. What, may I ask, have I done to deserve such an action?"

Judy, looking into those eyes she missed so greatly, simply smiled as she spoke. "Forgive me, sir, but it is not your distress that is so amusing to me. It is the thought of writing to the Featherings. Mrs. Feathering is very kind, but I can assure you, I did not send either them a letter." Judy, turned to stare at the manor house, watching as a slight low breeze began to brush along the lush green grounds, before turning back to Nick. "I am sorry for not writing to you, sir. I just thought you would be more preoccupied."

"Oh you did, did you?" Nick asked not wishing to sound needing.

"Yes, I did, with…."Judy started to say.

"Miss Hopps…Miss Hopps!" the voice of Sophie suddenly called out as the young vixen ran along the gravel drive path.

"Sophie!" Judy called out, seeing the young vixen rushing toward her. Leaving Nick standing along the inner gate, Judy rushed toward Sophie, embracing her tightly in her arms.

"Oh, my dear, welcome home." Mrs. Otterton said appearing along the drive also. "You must be so exhausted, from your journey. Come, my dear, let's get you inside so you can change and have something to eat. You must tell us all about your journey, my dear."


	12. Chapter 12

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 12

"Oh my dear, again, it is so wonderful to have you back home." Mrs. Otterton proclaimed happily later that late evening as both ladies sat together in Mrs. Otterton's small office next to the kitchen. "I just cannot believe it, of all things Miss Hopps…I am sorry, Lady Hopps." Mrs. Otterton let out a small laugh.

"Please, Mrs. Otterton I do not wish this information to be made public. My dearest uncle has done me a great honor, but I will never have the right of such an honor as to the title of lady." Judy said remaining in her seat. "I am not his child. My father, from what my uncle told me, was a missionary. My aunt hated the idea of her husband's sister leaving her home and family, everything in her life, to be with my father. Most likely, it was that reason she loathed seeing me as a child. She saw only the result of her sister-in-law's betrayal.

"If you are sure, my dear, than I will not utter a single word to anyone else." Mrs. Otterton said as she sat down her tea cup. "But you will not be the only mammal in this house that does not want certain news to reach many ears."

"What do you mean?" Judy asked questionably.

Mrs. Otterton, rising from her chair, quickly walked over to her office door, closing it silently. "Well, it has not been announced officially, but Mr. Wilde had me send orders to his bank in Zootopia. He is instructing them to remove the Wilde Family Jewels from their vault, and have them brought here. Two days before your return, he started making plans to travel to the Mufasa Islands, off the coast of the Meadowlands District." Mrs. Otterton, turning toward a small cabinet, walked silently toward a rather small faded photo of herself, standing next to a handsome male otter. Mrs. Otterton, glancing at it for a short moment, turned to face Judy once more. "Ever since Mr. Wilde's own dear father died many years ago, I have truly hoped he would settle down and find someone special in his life. Now, I feel that time has finally arrived. He has been spending more and more time with the lovely Miss Stevens.

"So, are you saying, Mr. Wilde is going to marry Miss Stevens?" Judy asked softly, her mind quickly freefalling.

"I dare say I feel he is leading to do just that, Miss Hopps. But I say again, no announcement has been made quite yet." Mrs. Otterton replied back.

Her heart, Judy felt as she raised a shaking paw to her chest, suddenly began to beat ever faster at this new information. Judy, rising from her chair and not knowing what to think or feel, turned to Mrs. Otterton. "I am sorry but I feel I have kept you up far too long this evening."

"Nonsense, dear." Mrs. Otterton replied back.

"Please excuse me, Mrs. Otterton. I should go up and check on Sophie before it gets any later. Good night." Judy said in a rather hurried tone as she exited the small housekeeper's office.

Quickly making her way up from the kitchens to the main floor of the manor, Judy softly began to cry. Exiting through one of the manor's many servant doors along the main floor, Judy unsure of its own ultimate destination, simply began walking along the abandon passageway before suddenly coming to a lonely closed door. Reaching for the handle and opening the large door Judy, glancing up for the first time since leaving Mrs. Otterton's office, found herself unknowingly in the darkened ballroom alone. Slowly scanning the dark, cavernous room, Judy slowly advanced toward one of the arm chairs sitting near the empty fireplace.

"Is anyone in here?" a voice of a dark figure holding a two branched candelabra suddenly called out from the doorway where Judy had been only moments before.

"Hello…Who's there?" Judy called out fearfully.

"Miss Hopps…Is that you?" The now recognizable voice of Nick called out once more.

"Mr. Wilde? What are you doing here?" Judy asked suddenly without thinking.

"Am I not allowed to wonder through my own house, Miss Hopps, or must I need permission from you or Mrs. Otterton?" Nick replied back.

"No, of course not. I am sorry, forgive me, sir." Judy said, feeling guilty for her last comment made to him.

Advancing toward Judy, Nick, still dressed in his evening attire, quickly began examining the sorrowful looking bunny before him. "Are you well, Miss Hopps?" Nick asked.

"Yes sir, I am very well, thank you." Judy replied back, unable to look at Nick.

"I am sorry to have startled you, Miss Hopps. I had just arrived home from having dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Stevens at their new vacation residence nearby." Nick, noticing Judy's tearful eyes by the light of candles, quickly turned to face the small table next to the arm chairs. "I thought I heard someone walking along the hallway and saw that door to this room was left open."

"I am sorry to have troubled you at such a late hour. I will go. Good night, sir." Judy spoke softly as she started to leave.

"Please. Miss Hopps, stay. I will leave." Nick replied back pleadingly. "Here, I will leave the candles with you so you can find your way back upstairs." Nick, setting the candelabra on the small table, turned back toward the open door as he slowly began to make his way back along the large empty room.

"I hope you and Miss Stevens will be very happy, sir." Judy called out suddenly, not knowing what urged her to say those words.

"What?" Nick voice spoke through the darkness.

"You are intending to marry." Judy replied back into the darkness.

His form slowly returning to the light of the room, Nick looked back toward Judy. "Yes. Well, I can see that Mrs. Otterton has let loose that information rather more quickly than I would have thought, I must say." Nick spoke as he walked slowly back to one of the two air chairs, taking a seat. "Yes, I do wish to marry."

"Then I will begin looking for a new position at the earliest opportunity." Judy spoke once more, her head held low, not wishing to look upon Nick.

Hearing those words spoken so abruptly by Judy, Nick could simply do nothing, but stare at her for the fraction of a minute. "Are you not happy with Casterly, Miss Hopps?" Nick asked. "But I guess that is what happens in life, with mammals such as you. No sooner one settles down in a location, they must move on to better grasses I expect."

"No, Mr. Wilde, I love this place so very dearly." Judy said raising her head quickly to face Nick. "Truly I do, but if you are to marry, I would no longer be welcome to remain here in my present position."

"What do you mean?" Nick replied, now fully gazing at Judy.

"Miss Stevens, sir. She has spoken many times of Sophie being sent to a school away from Casterly Manor. We both know her disgust for governesses." Judy said sniffing slightly. If Sophie was to be sent away there would be no further need of my services.

"I see." Nick spoke rather softly. "Must I really lose such a faithful employee and intellectual as I have come to find you?"

"I feel you must, sir." Judy replied.

"Have we not been good friends?" Nick asked, again.

"Very much, sir." Judy replied.

Nick, lowering his head, shifted in his chair as his long bushy tail wrapped around his feet. "Miss Hopps, may I speak freely and plainly to you?"

"Of course you can." Judy said.

"I feel at times there has been a strange feeling come over me when we are both together, Miss Hopps. It manifests itself somewhere here…" Nick raised himself up. "…under my left ribs. It is as if a string had been knotted inside me." Nick slowly sat back down in the arm chair. "And now, if you were to leave this place, it would be like…no…forgive me, Miss Hopps." Nick suddenly jumped out of his chair. "It is utterly ridiculous. To think you of all creatures would understand what I am feeling at this very moment. You would more likely forget me entirely when you leave this place as you move on to better and grander adventures."

"No, you are mistaken, sir, I will never forget Casterly…Sophie…or you, Mr. Wilde, as long as air continues to breathe through my body." Judy said, jumping up from her own chair. "For the first time in my life since arriving here, it has been the happiest part of my life. I have only felt compassion and acceptance by your words and attention, Mr. Wilde. I will be left in utter anguish to not be a part of that."

"Then why leave, Miss Hopps?" Nick said softly stepping closer to Judy.

"Because your wife would never allow it." Judy replied back in equal tone, tears slowly beginning to fall from her eyes.

"I do not have a wife." Nick spoke, reaching for Judy as she stood next to the fireplace.

"But you will have one soon." Judy cried back. "And when you do, I will be nothing more than an impediment to you. Do you think that just because I am plain, without position or title, I do not have a heart or soul, Mr. Wilde? You are mistaken, sir." Judy turned back to face Nick. "It would truly break my heart to leave this place, were I have learned and loved so much. I have enjoyed everything, from teaching Sophie, to Mrs. Otterton and the staff, to our wonderful conversations we have enjoyed together." Judy's heart was now beating fiercely as she simply gazed deeply into Nick's green eyes. "I am a free creature, with a full and independent will."

Nick, reaching out with his paws, grasped Judy's own lightly. "Then let your free will guide your heart toward happiness, Miss Hopps. I stand here, before you now, ready to offer to you my heart all my worldly possessions, Miss Hopps…Judy." Leaning his head gently onto hers, Nick spoke in a low whisper. "For as you are my equal, so too am I yours. Marry me."

"What?" Judy spoke breathlessly, suddenly gazing up at Nick.

"Do you doubt my proposal?" Nick asked.

"Very much, sir." Judy replied quickly. "Your bride is Miss Stevens, not a plain creature as I am."

"No, Judy, my bride is here standing before me now." Nick said smiling, not willing to let go of her. "Please…Judy?"

"You want me to be your wife?" Judy asked nervously.

"I swear it, now and forever." Nick replied.

"You love me, then?" Judy, asked

"I do, without question." Nick replied.

"Then, yes, I will marry you." Judy spoke, utter happiness engulfing her.

As Nick's lips pressed against Judy's, holding a solitary paw against Judy's soft gray cheek, he brought her body up close against his with his other paw. As both stood in the flickering candlelight as the kiss came to an end, Judy, her body now pressed against Nick, softly rested her head upon his chest, their arms held tightly to one another.

As both Nick and Judy slowly approached the grand staircase, Judy slowly began to climb the first few steps. Grabbing hold of Judy once more, Nick slowly gazed up at her small silhouette as he remained on the bottom step.

Smiling back at Nick, Judy took a step down along the staircase, moved close to him once more and kissed him. "Do you love me?" Judy asked into Nick's ear.

"With every breathe I possess." Nick replied. "Come, you need your rest, my sweet Judy."

Kissing Nick one final time, both Judy and Nick slowly began to climb up the staircase to the second floor landing. Nick, standing alone along the floor landing, watched happily as Judy slowly turned down the corridor toward her own bedroom. Turning down another short corridor, Nick slowly began to walk past the library toward his office, reliving in his mind the prior moments with Judy and the love he had for her.

Unknown to either Nick or Judy, standing silently down along the far end of the dark foyer, a shadow began to move slightly out from a servant door near the kitchen. Coming to a complete stop at the foot of the staircase along the cold marble flooring, Mrs. Otterton raised her head and gazed up along the second landing, fully in shock by what she had just witnessed before her.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 13

As Judy slowly began to wake the following morning in her large bed, she turned slowly onto her side, not wishing to open her eyes just yet. The memories of last night still fresh in her mind, Judy feared it was all simply a dream.

 _Knock, Knock…_

Judy's eyes opened suddenly at the sound of the gentle knocking on her bedroom door. Raising her head up, she turned toward the door. "Who is it?"

"It's Tabitha, Miss Hopps." The voice of the head maid called back.

"Just a minute, I am coming." Judy called out. Grabbing her robe from the foot of her bed, Judy quickly crossed the room. Opening her bedroom door, Judy smiled at Tabitha, allowing her to enter.

"You were not down for breakfast this morning miss, so I brought you something light before you start your day." Tabitha said, entering Judy's room while balancing a breakfast tray in her hands.

"Thank you Tabitha, I am sorry to cause you more work so early this morning." Judy replied as she made her way to her wardrobe cabinet. "Is Sophie up? Did she have breakfast?"

Setting down the breakfast tray, Tabitha turned toward Judy. "I believe so, Miss Hopps. I heard her along the upper landing as I was finishing turning over the last of the guest rooms, just before I went down to clear the dining room."

As Judy laid one of her better dark gray dresses out along her bed, she noticed Tabitha, still standing next to her small table, slightly nervous. "Tabitha, is there something wrong?" Judy asked noticing Tabitha's expression.

"No, miss." Tabitha replied, though not convincingly.

"Tabitha, what is it?" Judy called to her. "Please, you can tell me."

"Well…miss…it is just, they were all talking down below this morning in the servants hall." Tabitha spoke hastily, grabbing her right arm with her left paw. "About you and Mr. Wilde."

"Yes…and? Judy questioned her further.

"I must go, I am so sorry, I should never have said anything, forgive me Miss Hopps, please." Tabitha said quickly as she turned to leave.

"Tabitha…stop!" Judy called out. Slowly, she walked around the bed toward the shaking rabbit before her. Judy knew at that moment what was causing Tabitha to be so nervous. Reaching her, both ladies stood quietly in the middle of the room for a few seconds. "Tabitha…" Judy, grabbing hold softy to Tabitha's white paws. "…I will not lie to you Tabitha, just tell me what they are saying downstairs."

Tabitha, taking a deep breath, looked at Judy. "Well, they said…you and Mr. Wilde…were observed by Mrs. Otterton…embracing along the staircase.

"What do you believe is the truth, Tabitha? Judy asked as she continued to hold the rabbits paws in hers.

"Mrs. Otterton must be wrong." Tabitha said softy.

"She is not wrong," Judy replied. "Tabitha, Nicholas…I mean, Mr. Wilde, loves me very much, as I do him." Judy released Tabitha's paws. "Mr. Wilde asked for my hand in marriage last night. Mrs. Otterton most have seen us together before we both retired to our rooms."

"But how?" Tabitha, asked again, still unable to believe the words she was hearing. "A simple governess to marry her employer?"

"Yes Tabitha, I am a governess and Mr. Wilde is my employer." Judy said ushering Tabitha back to one of the table chairs. "We are both different individuals, more importantly two different species. But we are of one mind and our love for one another beat as one." Judy continued to look at Tabitha. "Have you not felt drawn to someone society itself may look down upon?" Judy asked.

Tabitha, taking a deep breath, felt her white cheeks suddenly redden as she thought of someone very close to her. Judy, noticing this, smiled widely back at the house maid. "Who is he, Tabitha?" Judy asked.

"One of the footman here." Tabitha now glowing red, turned her head away from Judy. "Ben…Benjamin Wolford."

 _Knock, Knock…_

"Yes." Judy called out to the bedroom door as both she and Tabitha continued to sit at the small table.

"Miss Hopps? It's Sophie. May I come in?" The voice of Sophie asked happily.

"Sophie, please come in, dear." Judy replied back, rising up from her chair.

"Mr. Wilde just told me. Is it true?" Sophie said quickly rushing through the door.

"Yes." Judy said smiling. "Do you approve of it?"

"Oh yes, I think it would be the best thing ever." Sophie replied as she embraced Judy lovingly. "Oh my…I almost forgot to tell you." Sophie suddenly remembered. "Mr. Wilde told me he is leaving for Zootopia today. He said he will be gone for the day. Ask him not to go, please."

"What? He is leaving?" Judy asked. "Tabitha, can you help me change, I need to catch him before he leaves."

As Judy rushed out her bedroom door along the hallway corridor, she quickly began to ponder why he would leave so soon after proposing. Rushing down the stairwell toward the front doors Judy noticed upon reaching the foyer that the auto car was not outside, nor any of Mr. Wilde traveling bags.

"I missed him." Judy thought to herself, looking about the Foyer.

"There you are my dear. I was just about to go up to see if you were awake." Nick spoke softly as he appeared suddenly from outside, dressed in his travel clothes.

"Mr. Wilde, I was worried I had missed you." Judy said slowly walking up to Nick.

"Nicholas, my dear." Nick said happily, smiling as he approached her. "May I say, you look so beautiful this morning?" Nick whispered as he leaned down slightly and kissed Judy on her cheek.

Blushing slightly, Judy could not help but smile happily back. "Sophie informed me that you are heading to Zootopia today."

"You and I are heading to Zootopia today, Judy." Nick corrected her quickly.

"What? You are taking me to Zootopia with you? Judy asked again.

"Yes, I feel we need to do a little bit of shopping, for our upcoming event. Do you not agree?" Nick replied. "While we are there, I thought we could also have dinner. I have an old friend there who is a renowned chef. He opened a gourmet restaurant, Ratatouille's, in the heart of the city a few years ago.

"Mr. Wilde, there you are." Mrs. Otterton called out as she hurried along a narrow passageway. "Good morning Miss Hopps." Mrs. Otterton said in what seemed a rather harsh low voice. "Mr. Wilde, I wanted to know if we will be expecting anyone on your return from the capital."

"No, Mrs. Otterton. You should expect Miss Hopps and I home rather late tonight I think." Nick said turning back toward Judy.

"Miss Hopps and yourself?" Mrs. Otterton said worryingly, staring at Nick then Judy.

"Yes." Nick said joyfully, turning to look at Mrs. Otterton. "I want to take her into the capital so she can find a dress that will make her look breathless." Turning back to Judy, "I booked two first class seats on the next train, it leaves the station in the village in an hour."

As the city cab rumbled along the cobble stone roads along Zootopia's main shopping district, Nick happily watched as Judy's eyes grew with excitement as she stared out through the enclosed cab.

"This will be good sir, you can stop here." Nick said to the cab driver, a light brown middle age sloth.

Paying the driver, Nick opened the passenger door quickly, stepping out onto the sidewalk in front of a high fashion female boutique. Turning around, Nick leaned back into the cab.

"Nicholas…Nicholas my dear!" A female voice suddenly began to call.

Removing his head once more from the cab, Nick quickly looked toward the voice calling his name.

"Hello, Veronica." Nick called back, observing the female fox approaching him. Extending his paw back into the cab, Nick, still observing Veronica, suddenly noticed a rather young gentleman fox accompany her.

"Nicholas, why did you not tell me you were going to be in town?" Veronica asked coming to a halt in front of him. "Nicholas, I want you to meet a new friend of mine." The young fox accompanying Veronica motioned to Nick. "Mr. Larry Hunter, sir, I do not know if you are familiar with my family."

Nick, observing the male fox nodding his head, returned the gesture. "Yes, I know your father, Mr. Hunter. He is a very good mammal..."

"I so missed our time together last month, I must say, Nicholas." Veronica said, quickly interrupting. "You look absolutely wonderful and…" Veronica's smile faltering slightly as she caught sight of a small gray paw being helped out by Nick. "…and…the governess." Veronica watched shockingly as Judy stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"Soon to be the future, Mrs. Wilde, my dear Veronica." Nick said smiling as Judy held lightly to his arm.

"No, Nicholas, you cannot be serious?" Veronica replied shockingly. "This little creature, the future Mrs. Wilde, and lady of Casterly Manor. No, Nick, this must be a complete joke. I cannot believe it."

"I am sorry if you disapprove, Miss Stevens, but I can assure you that I am…" Judy started to speak,

"Shut your mouth now, you disgusting…you filthy little thing!" Veronica shouted along the street, causing a few mammals passing to stop and look at the group. "I would never have believed that you, girl, would shame and defile a great family as the Wildes with your adulterous ways." Veronica, her anger rising, began to shake slightly. "You are an insult to your profession and an abomination to your species, girl."

Nick, his anger swiftly rising equally, yelled out in a horrified roar, releasing Judy's paw. "Be silent, vixen!" Nick, his fangs and front claws bared, "How dare insult her in front of me? How dare you speak to her in that ungrateful manner?" Nick shouted back, "I will not allow you to stand here in front of me and degrade my future wife with such words."

"Nicholas, what would your father think if he were still alive? Would he want his only son to marry…" Veronica looked at Judy again, choosing her words carefully. "…someone with no family or connections?"

"Miss Stevens!" Judy's called out suddenly, emerging from behind Nick. "Do you know the Honorable Charles Michael Hopps?"

"Of course, any respectable family knows that name. He is one of the richest mammals in this city." Veronica replied, amazed that Judy would know of the name herself.

"He is my uncle." Judy said in a carrying voice. "I am the daughter of his late brother, Gregory Vincent Hopps." Turning back to face Nick, Judy felt guilty as she observed Nick's expression. "I am sorry I did not tell you, Nicholas. When I was at my aunts, I learned of him through a letter he sent to her a few years ago. He surprised me by making the journey, while I was there. After my aunt's funeral, we reconnected. It was one of the reasons I was late getting back to Casterly Manor.

"You, the niece of Charles Hopps?" Veronica's voice started to crack slightly. "So it is true, the story of his late brothers misgivings." She let out a few laughs.

"What do you mean?" Judy asked, somehow not wishing to know.

"You my dear, you are Gregory's bastard child, from that female he went off with. What was her family's name?" Veronica said, thinking quickly. "Footerton, I think, yes that was the name everyone talked about, and she had given birth just before their deaths." Veronica replied. "Well, I can see now how much you have inherited from your mother, her talents have greatly rubbed off I dare say, bastard child."

Before Nick nor Mr. Hunter, who was accompanying Veronica could do anything, Judy rushed up and struck hard at Veronica, causing the fox to lose her footing and fall to the ground.

Hovering over Veronica, Judy's eyes full of rage, "Never…call…me…a bastard child…again, you savage excuse for a mammal!" Judy screamed down at the fox huddled on the ground. "Mark my words, Miss Stevens, my uncle will hear of this great insult. You have insulted me and Hopps family very deeply. Be sure to walk softly the next time you are in his company. That is if he allows you or your family to do so." Judy said stepping back, quickly grabbing hold of Nick's arm.

Larry Hunter, holding out his paw gently, grasped hold of Veronica's free arm, helping her to her feet. Both Nick and Judy watched with the greatest satisfaction in their eyes as Veronica and Mr. Hunter turned and began to walk hastily away. Judy, turning to Nick as the two foxes disappeared into the city crowd, simply stared up at him. "Nicholas, whatever did you see in a mammal such as that?"

Nick, feeling the last embers of his anger fade, turned his eyes away from the city crowd and smiled down as he looked at Judy. "She was at the time, the prefect means in which to make you helplessly jealous."

"I cannot believe you. "Judy said shockingly. "That is truly one of the most horrid things you could do, Nicholas." Judy said, slapping Nick playfully on the arm, as they began to walk. Unable to help herself, she smiled at Nick, happily.

Nick, laughing as he led her toward the nearby boutique said, "Yes, but it worked, did it not?" Both started to burst out with laughter.

Two months following the public announcement of the pending engagement, Casterly Manor quickly found itself becoming a place of intrigue and gossip among the local and nearby villagers. One of the first families to call upon the manor upon hearing the news, to delight of Judy, were the Featherings.

"My dear, I am so happy for you both." Mrs. Feathering said, sitting with Judy and Mrs. Otterton in the drawing room, one evening. "So Charles Hopps is your uncle you say? Will he be there on the big day?" Mrs. Feathering asked.

"Yes, Mrs. Feathering," Judy replied. "And I hope you and Mr. Feathering will attend also."

"Oh my dear, please call me Grace." Mrs. Feathering asked, smiling at her. "It is all just simply extraordinary. I think we dined with your uncle…let me think….it must have been almost three months, now. He never said a word to us about having a niece. Let alone a niece we knew personally." Turning to Mrs. Otterton Mrs. Feather smiled. "Do you not think, Mrs. Otterton, how wonderful it is?" Mrs. Feathering asked, looking at the elderly otter.

"I cannot say." Mrs. Otterton replied, as she held a cup of carrot tea on her lap. "I am worried for Mr. Wilde."

"Mrs. Otterton, are you angry with me for accepting Nicholas's proposal?" Judy asked, her eyes staring Mrs. Otterton worryingly.

"No, child, I am not. "Mrs. Otterton replied. "I just have watched Mr. Wilde suffer so much in life. I know he loves you very much, but…"

"Mrs. Otterton, all I want is to make him happy." Judy said moving closer to the elderly otter. "I love him, truly. Nicholas is older than I am, I know, but when we are together, age, species, it does not matter anymore.

"Well dear, who am I to argue with words such as that." Mrs. Otterton said smiling. "Come my dear, you need to change before dinner."


	14. Chapter 14

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 14

As the wedding day between Judy and Nick continued to advance ever closer, little had changed within Casterly Manor. Judy, as she went about her normal routine with young Sophie, could not help but overhear every so often some of the servant staff. Many of them still found it odd to believe Mr. Wilde had chosen Judy as his future wife. Judy, when hearing this as she passed by, simply laughed as she continued on her way throughout the house.

Judy was simply invigorated as she observed Mrs. Otterton during the final week leading up to the wedding. Judy watched many a night Mrs. Otterton almost skipping during these last few days as she hummed along the passageways.

"Judy…Miss." Tabitha called out softly to Judy one afternoon as she was ascended the staircase. "A letter came for you in the afternoon post."

Judy, stopping just shy of the upper landing, turned around as she watched Tabitha approach her along the stairs. "Thank you Tabitha." Judy said taking the letter. As she watched Tabitha turn to head back to the main floor, Judy suddenly smiled as a thought came to her head. "So how is your timber wolf today?" Judy asked in a playful tone.

"W…What?" Tabitha said, her voice cracking slightly and quickly. Tabitha's cheeks began to puff out slightly as they became red.

"Tabitha, you know what I mean." Judy laughed, smiling down at Tabitha. "I saw you and Ben this morning in the garden together. You both looked so happy I did not want to interrupt."

"We are, Judy, very much, but we are still being very cautious. We do not want others in the household to know just yet." Tabitha replied as she glanced down along the stairs banister, scanning for anyone.

"Ok Tabitha, thank you again for the letter." Judy said, starting once more to move up to the second floor as she began to open the letter and read, still smiling.

 _My dearest niece,_

 _Since your last letter, describing the events and words spoken to you while you were here in the capital, I was very disheartened by the actions of the young Miss Stevens. Simmons, my valet, I am sorry to say witnessed my response to the event quite vocally, which made me feel ungentlemanly afterwards. Granted, his own words to the matter I can say should also never be repeated._

 _I immediately set out to the Stevens residence at once to address the words. As disgusting they were to you I shall not repeat ever to Miss Stevens' father directly. I will not describe to you the words I used during that meeting describing his daughter actions. But I will say, after that meeting, any hope of Miss Stevens having any social life here in the capital will certainly be limited._

 _The Honorable Mr. Stevens has asked me to pass on to you his most humble apologies for his daughter's actions and disgrace on our family's good name. He is a good and honorable man that I have known for these long years, so I cannot hate him fully by the actions of one stupid daughter._

 _All I can say, child, is that your father and mother, rest their souls, were the kindness, most loving, mammals in the world, as I have told you before. Do not feel troubled by any of the words spoken about them. Your uncle, Mr. Footerton, held your father in the highest regards. His absolute love for his sister and having already a family of his own, made him the most suitable in taking you after your parent's deaths. I am truly sorry once more. If I had only been braver those years past to care for such a small and delicate child, I feel you would never have had to go through life as you had._

 _But think no more of this. I want you to be happy child on your approaching day, and I hope to be there with you to usher you into this new wonderful part of life. I wish you nothing but happiness._

 _Your loving uncle,_

 _Charles Hopps_

Three days before the wedding Judy, already feeling ever increasing nerves, never would have believed she would feel both a wave of delight and panic erupt in a single afternoon.

"Miss Hopps! Miss Hopps!" Mrs. Otterton loudly called out along the corridor leading toward the library.

Judy, rising quickly from the table in the library where she was helping Sophie with her mathematics lesson, watched shockingly as the library door was suddenly flung open.

"Mrs. Otterton, what is the matter?" Judy asked, she eyes gazing across the room at the elderly otter.

"It's here, Miss Hopps. I have told Tabitha to take it up quickly to your room." Mrs. Otterton replied back, smiling broadly. "I am sorry, but I just had to look. Forgive me, it looks breathtaking, my dear."

Judy, smiling back, rushed toward the elderly otter, embracing her quickly, before turning and rushing through the doorway of the library, leaving Sophie still sitting at the table, bewildered.

"What is here?" Sophie asked Mrs. Otterton, confused. "What's happened?

"The dress…Sophie…Miss Hopps' wedding dress. It just arrived from the seamstress in Zootopia." Mrs. Otterton said turning back into the corridor.

Judy, standing alongside her bed, her paws shaking slightly, continued to gaze longingly at the white box perched on top of her mattress. Tabitha, Mrs. Otterton and Sophie all watched eagerly, their smiles glowing with anticipation. Judy, finally mustering up the courage, slowly began opening the large box. Gazing down into the contents, Judy let out a deep breath as she raised a bright ivory white dress up and against her body.

"Put in on! Please Miss Hopps, please." Sophie asked, her eyes glowing as she began to jump up and down as she watched Judy walk over to the full length mirror.

"Yes, my dear, let us see how wonderful you look in it." Mrs. Otterton said as she too watched Judy examining herself in the mirror, her paws clutching the sides of her face.

"Alright, alright." Judy replied back to both of them, smiling back at them. "Tabitha, will you help me?" Judy asked turning to the rabbit who was also smiling back.

"It would be my honor miss." Tabitha replied.

Hidden behind a changing screen, Judy, her heart beating faster and faster, stood perfectly still as Tabitha carefully tightened the last of the silk straps which went up the back of the dress like a corset. Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, Judy felt the dress tightly around her midsection expand just the tinniest bit.

"Ok, I am ready." Judy called out from behind the screen.

As Judy walked out from behind the screen, Mrs. Otterton's and Sophie's face immediately lit up as they watched her do a quick swish of her dress. Judy, walking back over to the full length mirror near her vanity, stood in amazement as she began to examine herself. The ivory color of the charmeuse and tulle fabric simply helped magnify the A-line style princess dress against her gray fur. Judy, raising a shaking paw to her chest, slowly and lightly began to brush the dress's upper lace scoop neckline, moving it up and along the low cut shoulder lace sleeves. Turning around, again brushing her paw along the soft charmeuse and tulle material, she examined the sweeping train and silk straps that traveled up along her back. Taking another deep breath, Judy slowly turned to Mrs. Otterton.

"Well…Mrs. Otterton…will I do?" Judy asked almost to the point of tears.

"Oh my dear, you looked so lovely. I am so happy for you." Mrs. Otterton said as she starting to cry.

 _Knock…Knock._

"Judy, are you ready? We need to leave now if you still wish to call on the Featherings and be back before dinner." Nick suddenly spoke from behind the bedroom door. "I am coming in."

Everyone in room watched as if in slow motion, their eyes all showing signs of utter shock. The door knob to the bedroom turned fully and the door began to open just slightly.

"Mr. Wilde! Stop! You cannot come in!" Mrs. Otterton cried out, rushing to the bedroom door, slamming it shut and locking it.

"Mrs. Otterton? Nick yelled back through the door in a worried voice. "What is going on? Is Miss Hopps in there with you?" Nick called back out, holding his ear to the door, listening.

"She is sir. But you cannot see her right now. She is wearing her dress, it arrived this afternoon." Nick heard Tabitha's voice echo through the heavy wooden door. "Very well, I will go find Leodore and he can drive us there." Nick replied through the door.

As Nick's footsteps slowly began to fade, inside the bedroom hysterical laughter suddenly erupted. Sophie, rushing toward Judy, gently began to embrace her followed by Mrs. Otterton and Tabitha.

"Well, Miss Hopps, that was indeed a close call." Mrs. Otterton said, wiping tears from her eyes. "Tabitha, help Miss Hopps out of her dress, then take it down to my room for safe keeping. Come along Sophie."

As the late darkness covered the manor house, moon rays began to flicker through the manor's windows as a chilly wind began whispering through the trees along the grounds. Along a solitary passageway a shadowy figure, hooded in a dark cloak, suddenly stopped as it crossed into a lonely corridor. Cackling loudly, the figure running along the deserted hallway stopping suddenly, for no particular reason. Staring at a solitary door along the main residence corridor, the figure simply stood, examining it. Slowly, walking up to it, a long very thin paw began to extend itself. The paw, matted in what seemed to be greyish fur, through the moon's lighted glow, gently began to turn the knob on the door. Breathing heavily, still cloaked, the figure slowly press onto the door as the latch slowly disengaged, opening into the room within.

Pacing itself slowly about dark room within, the figure stopped as it neared a large four poster bed near the middle of the room. Breathing shallow and rasping, it stood motionless as it gazed upon the small gray bunny, watching as she slept quietly. Turning toward the small table close by, the figure noticed through the light of the moon through the solitary window, Judy's wedding veil sitting on top of her empty dress box.

Standing next to the open drapes, the moonlight illuminating its outline, the figure, removing the cloak hood from its head, placed the veil on top of itself. Moving about the room in small stomping steps, the figure began to mumble lightly as incoherent words began to erupt from it. Stirring suddenly, woken by the low voice and sounds from the unknown visitor in her room, Judy, fear quickly overtaking her, remained perfectly still as she continued to listen.

"Who is there?" Judy, her voice shaking, called out to the room.

As Judy listened, her eyes catching sight of something, she turned slowly toward the direction of the room's window.

Two heavily matted paws were holding to the lower half of Judy's veil, as the figure continued to move about, still wearing it, when suddenly the sound of ripping began to erupt.

Gasping, Judy quickly turned her eyes away, as she lay on the bed, unable to move.

"No…No." The gasping voice said over and over as it ripped the veil more. Quickly turning its gaze back toward Judy laying on the bed, the figure began to emanate a low growl as it moved closer to Judy's bedside. Grabbing hold of the torn veil and throwing it to the floor the figure turned suddenly, rushing for the open door, the sound of its echoed cackle fading as it moved along the vacant corridor.

"Judy, come now, you must have been dreaming." Nick said early the next morning, as both stood in his office. "Tell me now, what do you think of this color?" Nick asked putting on a simple green vest over his white dress shirt. "I have been told green was always a good color for me, on account of my eyes." Nick said smiling back at Judy.

"Yes, it's very nice." Judy replied back, still worried. "Nicholas, please, the veil was ripped nearly in half. See for yourself. I will go and bring it to you right now. We have to do something. With the likes of Anna running freely about at night, it is not safe." Judy looked deeply into Nick's eyes. "What about Sophie? What would you do if something happened, if she was hurt by her?"

Nick, taking a deep breath, moved around to his desk, quickly shuffling through some papers. "I promised a time ago, and I have made a few inquiries. I simply cannot just throw her out on the streets, Judy. The only place I can truly send her is to the asylum." Nick said retuning to Judy's side. "How can I do that to her, a mammal who has served this family faithfully her entire life? Sentence her, in the last years of her life, to mayhem and destruction?"

Judy, her head held low, listening to Nick's words simply replied, "You can't." Looking once more up at Nick she implored, "Nicholas, please promise me, for Sophie's and our own sake, until a better option arises."

"Mrs. Otterton, who I have spoken to, will ensure that Sophie is well and safe while we are away. She has informed me Tabitha will sleep in the nursery next to her room." Nick replied as he continued to look at Judy.

"Miss Hopps!" Mrs. Otterton voice spoke, suddenly appearing at the office door. "This letter just arrived for you by express from the capital."

"Thank you." Judy said quickly taking the letter and opening it. As she quickly began to read the letter, her face fell suddenly as the words upon it cause her grab at her chest, as if she was in pain.

"Judy, what is it?" Nick said worryingly.

"My uncle has fallen ill." Judy said as she lowered herself slowly to the floor. "His doctor tells me he is unable to leave his bed at this moment." Turning her head up, she gazing up at Nick. "Please, Nicholas, may I ask, after the wedding tomorrow, we delay our trip two days, so I may go see him?

"Of course. I know how much your uncle means to you." Nick said reaching down as he helped Judy up. "Now, I ask two things from you. One, go write to your uncle's doctor and tell him we will be calling on your uncle the day after tomorrow. Two, I want you to be happy and enjoy today." Nick said kissing Judy on her soft nose. "Because tomorrow, I will be the happiest mammal on earth."

In the distance, church bells were tolling loudly across the lonely village, as a middle age weasel ran along a narrow road toward the sound of the bells, breathing heavily.

Standing before the church alter, the pastor, an elderly male badger, stood tall and firm as he faced Nick and Judy. "Dearly beloved, we have gathered here in sight of the creator, and those gathered before us, to witness the joining union of this predator…" The badger, laid one paw on Nick's head. "…and this prey…" The badger, laid his other paw on Judy's head. "…in a sacred matrimonial bond." The badger removed his paws and extended them out past his sides. "I charge you both, here and now, just as you must on the day of your own judgment, that if either of you have any reason why this union may not be lawfully joined together, I ask you to confess it now."

The weasel, still running tirelessly turned one last corner in the village, as he continued to his final destination.

"Nicholas Piberius Wilde…" The badger asked, turning toward Nick. "…will you take this…"

Suddenly, from the rear of the church, bursting through the doors, the male weasel came to a sudden stop. "STOP!" The weasel yelled out. "This marriage ceremony cannot go on any further. I declare here and now, there is a barrier preventing this union."

"Continue." Nick called back to the badger, his anger rising quickly.

"Mr. Wilde has a wife still living!" The weasel shout out among the stun faces within the church.

"Silence! This man does not know what he is saying. Continue sir!" Nick shouted back at the badger.

"Mr. Wilde, I am obliged by the laws of the creator to hear any and all accusations." The badger replied back.

"Sir, my name is Drake Weaselton, and I am the valet to a Mr. Gideon Gray." Drake called back. "I was sent here ahead of my employer to show that Mr. Nicholas Wilde here was in fact, over ten years ago, married to his sister, Martha Gray, at St. Maximus church meadowlands district." As Drake continued to walk diligently toward the alter, he began to remove a sheet of folded paper from the inside pocket of his coat. "I have here a signed copy of the register here with me."

"Nicholas!" A lonely voice echoed from the rear end of the church. Gideon Gray suddenly appeared through the open door, leaning on a dark thick cane for support and slowly entered. "Sir, I declare my sister is alive and at Casterly Manor. I was in her presence no less than ten months ago."


	15. Chapter 15

**_Author Notes_** ** _: I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and reviews on the story as it unfolds. As always, thank you to those of you following this story. Please keep your comments coming, I really do enjoy reading all of them._**

CHAPTER 15

As the words of Gideon Gray reverberated among the congregation, still standing under the churches vaulted ceiling, Judy, her right paw now hanging loosely at her side, unknowingly felt something slipping away from her. As a sudden burst of fragrance and color from lavender and lilac began to pour onto the church stone floor, Judy, only able to utter a tiny breath, watched as her bouquet burst upon impact, scattering the wildflowers and lavender petals.

Mrs. Otterton and Tabitha, quickly seeing Judy's distress, began to rush to her side, ushering her to come with them. The pastor, suddenly turning to Nick, his face deeply disturbed, called out in a deep voice. "Mr. Wilde, you and Miss Hopps come here and stand before me…."

"Pastor, please…" Nick suddenly spoke, interrupting him. "…Miss Hopps here…" Nick turned longingly at Judy as she was about to be moved away from him with the assistance of Mrs. Otterton and Tabitha. "…knew nothing of my treachery. I lead her to believe my actions were honest and true."

"Nicholas, how could you betray Martha like this, you own wife?" Gideon called out.

Nick, turning around, his eyes suddenly on fire, yelled in terrifying bark back to Gideon. "Wife?" A heavy growl began to form across Nick's mouth. "You dare, Gideon, to stand there, before me…" Nick quickly rushed toward Gideon. "…and call her that word to me?" Suddenly turning around, Nick began to notice the faces of everyone sitting throughout the pews, their faces full of fear from Nick's outpouring of anger. Catching sight of Judy, Nick's heart suddenly began to ache as he watched her trembling, her soft gray ears handing low past her shoulders. Turning to everyone he began to speak with utter passion. "My wife should have been this lovely creature standing before you all, here and now. This creature which loves and understand me for who I am." Nick quickly turned once more back to Gideon. "His sister is no wife of mine. That woman is dead to my heart and soul." Nick shouted out to everyone. "Judy, come with me…" Nick, rushing back up to the church altar, grabbing hold of Judy's wrist, began leading her down the narrow aisle. "…all of you, come with me, now, and I will introduce you to this wife of mine, this Mrs. Martha Wilde."

"Nicholas, you cannot do this." Gideon called out as he stood motionless in the middle of the aisle. "You know what will happen to her if you do."

"No Gideon. Whatever happens now will be on your hands." Nick replied back in a loud tone. "Your family has misrepresented her for far too long. You struggled to hide her, always keeping her away from outsider's eyes." Nick replied back, continuing to gaze deeply into Gideon's eyes. "Your family cursed me with this burden, so now I will curse your family with its truth." Nick, pushing past Gideon, still holding tightly to Judy, exited the church.

"Leodore, quickly!" Nick shouted toward the lion chauffeur as Leodore leaned quietly against the auto car as it sat waiting on the city street, his back to the church doors. "Back to manor, quickly."

"Yes sir." Leodore called back turning around in surprise and shock. "But what about the others?"

"Just go, Leodore!" Nick barked loudly.

Throwing open the front doors of the manor house, Nick, still ushering Judy's alongside him, quickly turned toward the grand staircase. Minutes late, the pastor, Gideon, and the Featherings were suddenly entering the main foyer, their heads turning, looking for any sign of Nick.

"Where are we going?" Grace Feathering asked frightened, turning her head upwards toward the second landing. She momentarily caught sight of something moving along the upper floors.

"Follow me, everyone, I know where he is heading." Gideon called out as even more guests from the church service began to arrive, along with Mrs. Otterton who was rushing through the front doors.

Mrs. Otterton, turning back to scan through the incoming crowd, caught sight of Tabitha and let out a breath of relief. Motioning the white rabbit to her, she quickly saw that Tabitha had Sophie safely in her protection. "Tabitha, take Sophie back to her room and I want both of you stay there until I return. Do you understand?" Mrs. Otterton spoke sharply to the pair of them, pointing at Sophie with a serious look.

"Yes, Mrs. Otterton, I will." Tabitha replied back. "Sophie, please come with me."

"But Miss Hopps, Tabby, I want to stay with her." Sophie began to cry out as she was rushed upstairs toward her corridor. "I want to be with her!"

"Mrs. Otterton, what are all these mammals doing here?" Benjamin Wolford's voice suddenly called out, looking at the gathering crowd, as he and other members of staff began to file out from the servants hall below.

"Get back to work, all of you." Mrs. Otterton said turning to the group along the wall. "Maids, get to the second floor. I want you all spread about the floor. Footmen, I want one of you in each room down here. Kitchen staff, back to you stations and bring up whatever you can for the arriving guests."

Walking hastily along the second floor corridor, down a narrow hallway, through the locked wooden door, Nick led Judy and the advancing crowd up onto the third floor corridor by way of the winding staircase. Judy's mind, flooded back to the memory of months past. In the dead of night, she remembered hiding behind one of the doors to the rooms she just passed by, she quickly thought about Gideon Gray's unconscious body lying there on the floor bleeding.

Nick, reaching the end of the long dark hallway, suddenly began to call out. "Anna! Anna! Open the door, it's me!" As Nick reached the door, it opened, throwing heavy candle light into the crowed hallway.

"Are you sure it is wise, sir? You know what happen last time someone came to look in on her." Anna said worryingly as she gazed at the crowd of mammals behind Nick.

"Just open her door." Nick called back to Anna.

Turning around, Anna began quickly reaching for a long rather large key from her side as she quickly ran halfway down the room they were in, to a door on the left side of the room, quickly inserting the key, she unlocked it. Standing to one side, Anna watched worryingly as Nick opened the door. "Take very much care, sir; she is not her best at the moment." Anna called back as Nick lead Judy, Gideon, and some of the individuals through the door into the room within.

As the crowd entered the room, many eyes quickly began to take in the barren room's surroundings. Along the room's circular walls, hanging from the high vault ceiling by heavy rope, long thick dark blankets and padded mattresses hung low to the floor, many of them showing tearing and claw marks. The room's floor, strewn with even more thick blankets and pillows lay in clusters, covering the entire stone flooring.

Judy, quickly catching sight of movement along the far side of the room, noticed the gray creature from nights past. Dressed in a faded and stained night dress, her gray matted fur showing signs of improper and neglected care of hygiene, Martha Gray Wilde stood holding firm to the wall hangings. Slowly, Nick began to walk up to Martha. Moaning loudly, Martha, her long claws starting to rip the thick sheets hanging from the ceiling began to cackle as she suddenly started to bounce along the wall rubbing her head along a mattress as she came into contact with wall.

"Martha…it's me…its Nicholas." Nick called softly to her, extending his hand.

Turning her head toward the strangers in the room, Martha quickly turned once more to Nick.

"Martha, they will not harm you, please." Nick called to her once more. "They will not take you away."

Slowly, extending a matted paw toward Nick's face, Martha smiled slightly, exposing yellow fangs, as she began to slowly approach him.

"How are you feeling today?" Nick asked, fear building in his eyes.

Reaching down along her night dress neck line, Martha began to press her dress's right shoulder sleeve down and over her shoulder nearly exposing her chest, seductively.

"No Martha." Nick said moving away from her.

Martha, her face suddenly changing, quickly lunged at Nick, her claws extended, quickly grabbing for his head and chest in an act of total rage.

"Anna!" Nick screamed out, gabbing hold of Martha's paws. "Help me!"

"I told you sir; she is not doing well today." Anna called out, as she rushed to help get a hold of Martha, who was now thrashing about, and calm her down.

"Anna, hold her down, firmly!" Nick called out.

"I got her, sir!" Anna replied back, fighting Martha down to a pile of pillows on the floor.

Moaning loudly, Martha began to cry out in inaudible words as she continued to fight, quickly loosing energy, finally collapsing into the arms of Anna, as Nick stumbled back from both females, gasping for breath.

"It will be all right, Mrs." Anna began to whisper as Martha began to cry out.

Nick turning to the gathered crowd, everyone griped with fear by what just happened, looked at each of them. "This is who Mr. Gideon calls my wife." Nick, grabbing hold of his neck, looked down at his paw, quickly noticing he was bleeding. "I was tricked into marrying her ten years ago during one of my many travels just after losing my dear father. They presented her to me at parties where I just happened to be at the time. I was fragile, easy to influence, due to my recent loss. " Nick said reaching into his coat pocket and withdrawing a handkerchief and placing it to his bleeding neck. "I was never allowed to be left alone with her without someone being right next to her, or to talk to her properly. I should have known better then." Nick spoke as he continued to look at Martha on the floor. "I was young, and simply blinded and overwhelmed by her beauty then, I never thought of anything else. It was only after the family rushed me into wedding her that I found out that she was in fact, insane."

Taking his eyes away from the now shivering fox lying before him Nick now turned his attention toward Gideon. "This fox's family…" Nick pointed at Gideon. "…never revealed to anyone outside their own tightly formed family circle her genetic afflictions. The nature of her disease, I quickly found out, was due to a rare mutated form of rabies virus. Doctors told me it was hereditary only through the family female line. Her mother had it, and her grandmother before her."

Gideon, taking a deep breath, slowly lowered his head in shame as he continued to stand there before everyone, listening to Nick.

"I spent over the next five years searching for a cure to help her, to make her well again. In the end I watched her mind slip further and further away into madness. I hired the best doctors in Zootopia and any new medical treatment that became available. But the virus within her was just too strong to stop." Nick, looking at the Featherings, took another deep breath. "I could have ran away to some distant island off the coast and left her there with her despicable family. Lord knows I wanted to." Nick looked toward the pastor, who until than stood quietly behind Gideon, starring at the dirty and matted Martha. "But I returned back to my father's estate here at Casterly Manor and brought her with me. I chose not to have her chained up in some asylum, like many would have me do. Instead, I kept her safe, here. I hired Anna to be her nurse, night and day. To be sure she was well taken care of."

"But Mr. Wilde…" The badger said in his deep voice. "…while your actions are noble, you still knew you could never marry Miss Hopps. You were already married. You would have been committing an act of bigamy in the eyes of the creator. That is a serious crime, sir."

"Do you blame me, pastor?" Nick asked walking up to the badger. "All I have wanted is a mammal who would love me as much as I would her? To know and remember who I am. " Nick looked deeply at Judy. "I would have done anything, gone to the ends of this earth to be with this innocent bunny, sir. I am a man who has been tormented for ten long years. You honestly will just stand there and attempt to judge me?" Nick turned and slowly approached Martha once more. "Look at her pastor, go on look at her!" Nick shouted. "This poor creature to whom I am bound for life. This creature that is mentally mad and unable to neither recognize nor remember anyone, or who she is. You have seen for yourself, sir, soon she will be nothing but a savage fox, dangerous and unpredictable." Nick turned one final time to Gideon, his deep scars still visible to the naked eye.

"I am sorry, Mr. Wilde, but all I can do now is pray for you." The badger replied back as he bowed his head as he turned to leave.

Nick, his eyes on fire once more, watched as the badger began to leave. "Keep your prayers for someone else!" Nick shouted back.

Judy, turning quickly from the room, began to run blindly through the main room and down the spiral staircase leading onto the second floor landing. Coming out onto the second floor landing, Judy suddenly began to collapse onto the main corridor rug, as she began to cry out along the empty hallway. Suddenly feeling small soft paws grip her shoulders, Judy, her body aching, simply laid there stretched out along the floor, not knowing who the paws belong to.

"Dear, please, let me take you to your room." The voice of Mrs. Otterton spoke as she too kneeled down next to her. "Please dear, I…"

"Did you know about any of this, Mrs. Otterton?" Judy asked as she tired tirelessly to catch her breath through the stream of tears.

"Not entirely Miss Hopps." Mrs. Otterton replied, her voice cracking slightly. "I just assumed Martha was Anna's daughter that Mr. Wilde allowed to stay on the third floor, out of everyone's way. I would never have thought she was his wife, truly I did not." Mrs. Otterton said as she too began to cry out. Both ladies reaching out for one another simply remained there tightly embracing each other.

In the course of the early hours of the morning, following the prior day's events, a cold and eerie silence seemed to have descended itself upon the manor house. Judy waking silently slowly gazed blurry eyed across her bedroom. Shivery slightly she felt her herself curling tighter to herself as the cold air from the manor settled over her. Glancing at the lonely fireplace, the warm fire lit by Mrs. Otterton just before leaving her during the night, now only ash and burnt remnants. Slowly shifting herself around, turning on her other side, she began reaching for her spare thick blanket she kept near the foot of her bed. Judy's paw, searching desperately for its added warmth, suddenly felt what seemed to be soft warm fur. Moving her foot slightly along the foot of her bed, Judy felt the mattress as it dipped slightly, coming to rest on something firm. Quickly raising her head off one of her pillows, fear bursting from her, Judy's heart quickly fell as her eyes caught sight of what was laying along her feet.

"Sophie?" Judy called out softly as she rose silently. Reaching down with her paw, she began to shake the young fox very gently. Judy simply watched as the young fox twisted and squirmed lightly, clutching her thick blanket more tightly as it wrapped around her as she laid there in the cold bedroom. "You sweet kit." Judy thought to herself as she continued to stare lovingly at her. "She must have come in sometime late last night when I was asleep to keep me company, and fell asleep herself?"

Unwilling to bring herself to wake her, Judy, grabbing one of her pillows, quietly laid it under Sophie's head. Grabbing her other pillow and raising herself slightly, she slowly began to crawl up next to Sophie, drawing the bed's comforter backwards over her and Sophie as she positioned herself next to the young fox, along the foot of the bed. Reaching over, and kissing Sophie lightly, she cuddled up against the young fox. Placing her head just under the fox's chin, smiling happily, Judy lay there listening as the young fox's heart slowly beat. As she slowly felt herself drifting back off to sleep, Judy began to feel Sophie's arm emerging from her blanket and gently enclose over her, as if she was protecting her from any further harm. Judy closing her eyes once more, felt at peace.

By mid-morning Judy, not wishing to be the sight of any gossip or pity from the house staff chose to spend the day safely in her room. Tabitha, during the morning, after taking Sophie to her room to wash and change for breakfast, came back with a small breakfast tray for her to nibble through.

"Judy…do you need anything else before I go back downstairs?" Tabitha asked.

"No Tabitha, I just need some time to myself." Judy replied as she sat curled up in the room's large high backed chair. "But thank you."

"I will be back up later to check on the fire." Tabitha said softly as she turned to leave.

By midday, having finished folding and storing her bridal attire, Judy simply stared down at the boxes full of dresses, now strewn along the floor. Gathering up her new dresses, Judy began to envision herself wearing each of them as she did, walking happily along the seaside with Nick, or dinning in them, as she tasted the local cuisine. Walking over to a large dark trunk positioned near the window, she gently laid them across the box holding her wedding dress. Closing the trunk lid, she raised her head as she gazed out through the window.

Suddenly in need of fresh air, she slowly crossed to her wardrobe cabinet withdrawing her heavy shawl. Wrapping the shawl around herself as she stepped out of her room and into the hallway, Judy suddenly noticed Nick sitting across from her bedroom door asleep, his head tilted back as it leaned against the hallway wall. Suddenly waking to the sound Judy's door closing, Nick jumped to his feet as he watched Judy cross quickly by him.

"Judy, wait….please!" Nick called out to her as she continued down the hallways. "I'm sorry I deceived you. I was wrong to do that to you."

Running to catch her as she neared the main landing, Nick, quickly grabbed her wrist as he turned her around to face him. "Tell me you love me, Judy" Nick spoke in a sharp tone. "Or was I simply all a game to you?" Nick said releasing her.

Judy not wishing to look at those green eyes she loved so much, simply stared down at the floor. "I need to go, sir." Judy replied back as she quickly made her way past him and down the stairs.

"Go…go where Judy?" Nick said rushing after her. "Judy…please, I would have done anything for you." Nick said grabbing hold of Judy once more as she stepped on the stair landing. "Anything, Judy! I was willing to commit bigamy to be with you, do you not understand." Nick shouted out loud. "They could have thrown me in prison, and I would not have cared the least, all I wanted was to make you happy, Judy.

"Let go of me, please." Judy pleaded, her body shaking.

"Look at me Judy, look into my eyes, and tell me now that you do not love me, and I will go free." Nick's breathing was short and heavy. "Say it Judy." Nick said his tone faltering. "No, wait, come with me." Nick said suddenly thinking of something.

Grabbing hold of Judy's paw, he rushed down the remaining stairs and down a narrow passageway. Opening a heavy wooden door Nick lead Judy into the grand ballroom toward the arm chairs along the empty fireplace.

"Here, where you poured your heart out to me those months before." Nick said looking at Judy. "Look at me Judy, at my face, and tell me it was all just a lie!" Nick shouted as he stood in front of her.

"I am not the one who has told lies here, sir." Judy replied back in a raised voice. "I do not have some secret husband lock up somewhere. I have been completely honest with you since arriving here."

"Judy, please listen to me." Nick replied back in lower tone. "I wanted to be honest with you, I truly did. But how could I, when the thought of doing so would have driven away any happiness I had left in my life?" Nick lightly reached for Judy paws once more. "Look at me, Judy. Just tell me you do not love me, and you can go."

"But that is just it." Judy said softly as she gazed into those green eyes of Nick. "I cannot say it, because I do love you, Nicholas. I wanted so much to be your wife, I still do. If there was any other reason it would be because I do love you."

Nick, his heart racing fast, moved closer toward Judy. "As I love you, Judy, more than any other mammal in this world I…"

"Do not say that Nicholas," Judy interrupted him.

"But I must say it." Nick replied back

"Never say it again to me." Judy said turning away from Nick. "It is completely wrong of you, sir."

"Why, why is it wrong? Is it wrong for two people like us, Judy to not be together?" Nick asked.

"You are not the same mammal I knew those happy months ago." Judy replied turning back to face him.

"What do you mean, Judy? I am still the same fox you fell in love with. I have never changed. I have the same mind, same body and same heart." Nick called back out.

"You are a married mammal, Nicholas!" Judy shouted deeply back at him.

"But I am still the same fox, Judy!" Nick shouted back.

Breathing heavily, Judy continued to gaze at Nick "Do you not think, for one second, that this is not hard for me, Nicholas? Judy said in a raised voice. Do you think for one moment I enjoy seeing you suffering so much when deep down, every part of my body is telling me to comfort you? Well you are wrong, Nicholas!" Judy shouted.

"Then we will leave here, the both of us. We can start a new life with one another far away from here." Nick said quickly.

How can you ask me to live a lie?" Judy asked, her voice shocked by Nick's words. "To tell fellow mammals I am your wife? To live a life with you with that on my conscience? My soul, slowly being eaten away by it each day we are together, until I am no long, Judy Hopps, by some vile creature, forever in agony. And what of Sophie? What of her life? No Nicholas, I can't." Judy said struggling to speak through her tears, suddenly rushing away and out of the room, leaving Nick standing alone in the empty ballroom.


	16. Chapter 16

**_AN/_** ** _: THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER!_**

 ** _I hope you all have enjoyed this story I have tried to bring forward. I have really enjoyed trying to bridge two great love stories together in the hopes others, like yourselves who have read this story, will continue to love and cherish both classic literature and new. After reading this last chapter, please give me your honest opinions on how you felt I did with this story._**

 ** _Also, for many of the readers of my first story 'Baby on Board' who have asked if I was going to make a sequel? I want to let you know I will be starting on a new story about the Wilde family. Hope to have it to you all in the coming weeks. Enjoy the last chapter._**

CHAPTER 16

"Mrs. Otterton! Mrs. Otterton!" Tabitha shouted as she quickly rushed along the lonely second floor corridor, the following morning.

"Tabitha, what are you shouting about? You are going to wake up Miss Hopps and Sophie." Nick called out suddenly as he made his way quickly from his office. Reaching Tabitha, Nick suddenly noticed something was troubling the young housemaid. "Tabitha, what has happened?"

"Sir, Judy…I mean Miss Hopps, sir, is not in her room. She is gone." Tabitha replied back.

"What do you mean, gone?" Nick replied back, shock in his eyes. "Did you check the wash room down the hall, or Sophie's room?"

"Yes, sir. She was not in either place." Tabitha replied once more. "I was going to check on…"

"Tabitha, why are you shouting?" Mrs. Otterton called out as she stepped off the staircase onto the second floor landing. Quickly noticing Nick standing next to Tabitha, Mrs. Otterton suddenly froze. "I…I am sorry, sir, if we disturbed you so early this morning. Tabitha, why were you shouting, girl?" Mrs. Otterton asked angrily turning to the young rabbit as she watched Nick rush down the hall toward Judy's bedroom door.

"Miss Hopps, Mrs. Otterton." Tabitha said quickly. "She's gone."

Opening the door to Judy's bedroom slowly, Nick simply stood still as he peered inside. Taking deep breaths Nick, feeling the pain in his chest as if each beat in his heart made the pain grow ever stronger, slowly entered. Walking toward Judy's small table, his head hung low, Nick's eyes turned toward the open wardrobe closet.

"Mr. Wilde? Is there anything I can do?" Mrs. Otterton's low voice suddenly called out as she stood in the doorway, tears forming in her eyes.

"No, Mrs. Otterton." Nick replied. "Excuse me." Nick said quickly as he rushed past the elderly otter. Rushing along the corridor and down the staircase, Nick burst through the large front doors. Running along the front grounds, he suddenly stopped as he quickly dropped to the ground, his pants quickly becoming soaked by the morning dew of the ground's grass. Breathing heavily, Nick collapsed as he arched forward, breathing in quickly the crisp morning air. Raising his head up suddenly, Nick arched his back up, as his claws ripped up the earth tightly in his paws. Simply sitting there on his knees, Nick let out a horrifying scream, as he cried out…"Judy!"

 _One Year Later…_

A school bell began to ring loudly along the small township of River Bridge as the laughter of small cubs and kits quickly began to erupt from the small school house along one of the small town lanes. Judy, rising from her desk, positioned just shy of two enormous chalk boards, smiled as the last of her students wished her good-bye. Waving back to them, Judy slowly began to walk along the rows of desks as she began collecting each of the small slate boards along the rows, singing to herself. Walking over and setting them down next to her desk, she slowly began to sing her tune a little louder.

 _Lavender's green, dilly, dilly_

 _Lavender's blue._

 _If you love me, dilly, dilly,_

 _I will love you_

"You sing very well." A voice suddenly spoke from behind her.

Jumping slightly, Judy quickly turned to the figure standing by the open door. "John!" Judy called out quickly, seeing the familiar dark haired bunny walking towards her. "Oh, no John, only a little, I am afraid. But that is what all schoolgirls are taught to say." Judy replied back. As she finished her sentence, Judy felt her heart falter slightly at her own words. Her memory quickly bringing her back, as she sat in the large ballroom back at Casterly Manor, listing to Nick saying words to that affect. Hesitating slightly, Judy suddenly turned to the window along the far wall.

"Is there something the matter, Judy?" John asked as he gazed at Judy.

"What? Oh no John, its nothing." Judy replied back as she walked along the desk a further time. "I just suddenly remembered something that happened a while ago, that is all."

"Judy, please." John said as he began to slowly follow her around the room. "You know neither I nor my sister asks you much about your past. We know, when you are ready, you will tell us everything. But my sisters and I just want you to know that no matter how hard you difficulties were back then in your life, the wonderful things you are doing now…" John stopped as Judy turned to stare back at him. "Look around you Judy. Please do not allow your past to affect the wonderful things you are accomplishing now. Your understanding and unwavering patience with the young here at the school, it is so unique."

"Oh John, I wish that could be true about myself. But I feel other mammals may have a slight different opinion of me." Judy replied back, as she began to remember the letter from her uncle she had received shortly after taking on the post of school teacher here in River Bridge.

"I find that very hard to believe, Judy. Now, I have business to attend to at the office, so I must leave." John said turning toward the rear of the classroom. "Oh, yes, I almost forgot, I wanted to stop in quickly and ask you to please let my sister know I will be late for dinner this evening."

"Of course John, but I should remind you of the last time you were late though. Diana nearly had to restrain Mary from attacking you." Judy answered back laughing slightly. "I will do my best to break the news, but I would recommend bringing flowers for her to help soften her anger."

"Thank you, Judy. Yes, I feel Mary does take after our dear mother a little too much." John laughed as he exited the classroom, waving back to her.

As Judy watched John exit the room, she walked slowly toward the rear door to close and lock it. Turning around, Judy simply stood by the now closed door as she glanced about the small classroom. Thinking deeply in her mind, she remembered her uncle and how joyful he was to learn of her safety. Judy felt a sudden chill overcome her. "How long has it been since his last letter?" She asked herself. "It must be at least two months?" Judy answered herself back. "Should I be worried?"

Later that night, as all three female bunnies sat around the warm fire, Judy among them sat quietly in one of the high backed chairs reading and book when suddenly John quickly entered the cottage house.

"Oh my dears, I think a storm is brewing." John said as he walked swiftly to the fire to warm himself. "I feel winter is coming early this year. The chill in the air seems too unnatural."

Walking back to the front entrance, John took off his long frock coat and hung it up before heading to the kitchen. Reappearing minutes later, supporting a small dinner tray, he lightly leaned down and kissed each of his sisters gently on their cheek before taking a seat by the fire.

"I am sorry to you all, for my severe tardiness tonight. Mr. Gregson had me go over next year's budget analysis." John said to the group of ladies. Noticing Judy sitting off near the dining room, he called out to her. "What are you reading, Judy?"

"I found this book on the pawhili language in one of the shops the other day." Judy said raising her head up from the book. "I thought of trying to learn the language."

"What for? You are not thinking of leaving us so soon?" John asked jokingly.

"I don't know. I always thought of seeing more of this world and the cultures across the waters." Judy replied back.

"Judy, pay no attention to him and study whatever you want." Diana said as she smiled toward Judy. "Do not let him bully you. And with those last words I will bid you all goodnight. Mary, remember we have an early start tomorrow."

"I know, Diana, I am heading up now also." Mary replied as she sat down her knitting on the small side table next to her, watching her sister climb the stairs. "Goodnight John." Walking over to Judy, Mary gave her a hug as Judy remained seated in her chair. "Goodnight Judy. If he continues to bully you, kick him in his knee."

"Judy, I hope you are not mad at my last comment?" John asked as he put his tray to the side. "I…I was…I am sorry, but may I be truly honest with you, Judy?" John asked as he leaned on the edge of the chair. "The thing is I do not wish to see you leave us, Judy."

"John, I am flattered, I…" Judy started to say.

"I have been meaning to ask you for some time now, but I noticed how busy you have been lately, settling in at the school." John continued as he rose and walked up to where Judy still sat. "I was scared I might distract you. But now, I feel I must ask of you something I feel would be the greatest thing to happen to me, Judy."

"I am sorry, John, but I don't know what this could be." Judy replied back softly to him.

"I would like for you to be my wife, and live here with me, Judy." John replied back.

"Wife?" Judy replied back, surprised. "But John, you barely know me at all." Judy, quickly standing, turned and walked slightly away from him.

"Judy, I know enough of you to know all I need to." John replied back standing firm. "You were sent to me, I feel, by some unknown force. Judy, do you see it."

Hearing those last words, Judy stood there, her thoughts quickly questioning everything that had happen to her in the past year since leaving Casterly Manor. "Has fate really brought me to John, after learning the truth of Nicholas? His sister and he have cared for me, given me a place and the opportunities to escape my past and prove myself in this world." Judy asked herself. "He is a good mammal, and a considerate mate. What more could any mammal like I want in life?"

Suddenly, from the corner of her mind, the voice of Nick suddenly began to burst forth from her mind. "I stand here before you Judy, ready to offer you my heart, my soul, everything I hold dear in this world. Please love me for who I am, and nothing more."

"You know, deep in your heart I am right, Judy." John replied to her, watching her stand there by the fire.

"I am sorry John, but my heart will not speak to me. I…I am confused."

"Then let me speak for it Judy." John said walking over to her, Judy suddenly turning her head away. "You will marry me and live here with us." John said grabbing hold of her paws. "Just say yes."

Once more the voice of Nick began playing in her head. "Look into my eyes Judy, look into them, and tell me you do not love me anymore." Judy, quickly turning her head back to face John, was on the verge of tears. "I cannot marry you John. I am sorry." Freeing her paws from him, she slowly began to back away from him. "I cannot marry you John, because my heart still remains with another." Judy said now crying. "I know now it was a mistake leaving. I have to go back."

As Judy continued to run up along the winding lane toward Casterly Manor, her chest aching from the winter's bitter cold air, she slowly began turning along the final blind curve before suddenly coming to a complete stop. Judy suddenly began reliving the last near thirty hours since leaving River Bridge.

"Judy, please be careful on your journey." Mary said to Judy on the train platform wrapped in her heavy winter cloak. "And please do not think too ill of John. I think deep down, he truly felt you would want to return to your past one day."

"Please tell John again how sorry I am." Judy said sorrowfully "And I am sorry to the both of you."

"Oh Judy." Diana said, grasping Judy in a tight embrace. "Just promise me you will find your happiness once again, wherever it may be."

"We will always love you my dear. You were such a blessing to have in our lives." Mary said, also grasping her also in a tight embrace.

"I will never forget all of your kindness." Judy said as the whistle began to blow along the platform.

"Hurry Judy, quickly!" both female bunnies called out to her as she quickly rushed to jump on board the train.

Waving back to both Mary and Diana, Judy watched through the bitter cold winds from the train's acceleration as both bunnies slowly began to disappear as the train began to pick up speed.

Breathless and shaking from the bitter cold weather, Judy slowly began to walk the final length to the manor before suddenly stopping once more to gaze shockingly as she approached the once grand wrought iron gate of Casterly Manor, now loosely chained together. The sight that stood before her, not brought on by the cold winter air, sent an ice cold shiver down her spine. Her eyes were not able to fully believe the sight before her. Where once stood the most elegant manor house in the county, now stood nothing more than a blacken ruin of stone and timbers where Casterly Manor once stood.

"Nicholas!" Judy spoke softly as she approached, grabbing hold of the icy cold iron gate.

Sliding herself gently through a small gap between the massive gates, Judy, wrapping herself tighter in her winter cloak, slowly began to approach the ruins of the manor house. The manor's great walls and ancient battlements were blackened by fire. The once glimmering windows, many of them shattered, simply gaped as they welcomed nature into the house's hollow walls.

As she approached the large front doors cautiously, due to sheer visible damage, Judy pressed lightly on the half charred doors. Creaking loudly, the doors struggled slightly and swung gradually open. Peering her head slightly through, her eyes quickly glancing upward, saw snow lightly begin to fall from a giant opening from which the house had collapsed inside itself. Taking a few steps within the hanging doors, Judy continued to stare, frightened, as she took in the horror and distress of the place she once called home.

As Judy stood just inside the once grand house, a silent and eerie feeling began to slow overtake her. Glancing toward where the once striking staircase stood, only the bottom landing now remained. Glancing to her left, she slowly began stepping cautiously, venturing further inside the manor, almost everything covered in a layer of black soot. Throughout the damage, Judy saw many of the house's once elegant artifacts and ornate furniture smashed and scattered along the now earthly floor. The once beautiful pianoforte, Judy observed as she stood in the main parlor, was now nothing more than an empty shell, broken in half. As she slowly made her way back to the great hall, stepping gently along the floor, a distant clatter suddenly erupted as she began to turn about in fear, searching for the source of the sound. Standing there, cold and apparently alone, she suddenly noticed something lying upon the ground close by her. Walking over to the object, she slowly reached down and picked it up. Shaking it slightly free of dirt and snow, the charred remains of a little mammal doll gleamed back at Judy.

"Sophie." Judy whispered as she began to clutch the blackened doll tightly to her chest. Lowering herself down Judy suddenly collapsed onto the floor as waves of emotions and tears began to flood over her. For nearly ten minutes, Judy simply sat among the ruins of the manor house, alone as the snow and darkness began to fall more thickly.

It was at that moment, another distant clatter suddenly awoke Judy from her grief. Quickly turning toward the sound, she began listening once more, diligently. Remaining where she was, her ears raised fully, she slowly began to feel for the first time since arriving back to the manor as if something was watching her. Getting to her feet, she quickly began making her way back toward the partially collapsed foyer, the charred doll still clutched tightly to her chest. It was then, suddenly out of the corner of her eye, Judy saw something move slightly, is if someone or something was moving along the main front doorway.

"Hello?" Judy called out, fear echoing in her voice. "Who's there, h…h…hello?"

Climbing over the last of the debris, Judy slowly peered into the foyer as she listened carefully for the slightest sound. What met her eyes brought immediate shock deep down in her body. Standing there between the half charred front doors, Mrs. Otterton who, wrapped in a think winter cloak, was showing equal sense of shock and unbelief.

"Miss Hopps? Is it really….but…how?" Mrs. Otterton called out breathlessly, unable to believe what she was seeing before her. "I thought thieves were here to…but I saw you sitting among the debris. I thought, how can this be, it must be a ghost?"

Judy, her face weak with emotions, rushed up to the elderly otter, both of embracing each other tightly. "Mrs. Otterton…please, what happened here?" Judy asked desperately as she slowly withdrew from their embrace.

"Come my dear, let us go somewhere warm and out of this weather." Mrs. Otterton said as she slipped her small paw under Judy's right arm. "And I will tell you what I can."

Walking along the outer ruins of the house, Mrs. Otterton slowly lead Judy toward a small carriage house near the rear of the house grounds.

"Do you live here alone, Mrs. Otterton?" Judy asked as she entered the warm two room carriage house.

"No dear." Mrs. Otterton replied, taking off her traveling cloak. "I come here on my days off to try and salvage anything from the house that can be useful. Tabitha and Benjamin were coming here early on to assist me at times, but they are now far more occupied." Walking over to a small cast iron stove in the middle of the room, Mrs. Otterton placed on top a small kettle and began placing fresh coal in its open door. "Please dear, sit down."

"When you left Miss Hopps…" Mrs. Otterton started, taking a seat next to Judy.

"Please…Mrs. Otterton, call me Judy." Judy said, quickly interrupting.

"Very well then, dear. When you left...Judy…Mr. Wilde was never the same. For nearly several days he just simply walked the corridors, calling out you name. He even wrote to your uncle asking if he had any knowledge of your whereabouts. It was if you were a lost jewel to him. He searched desperately to find you. Slowly as the days turned into weeks, he began to lose hope when no word came back. He turned in on himself, at times making himself erupt savagely from the disappointment." Mrs. Otterton, staring at the fire burning in the stove, took a sorrowful deep breath. "He sent Sophie away to some boarding school, somewhere in the south. After that he just simply cut himself off from society. Many a night I felt frightened to even go near him. More often I would find him sitting outside your bedroom door, late into the night, talking silently to himself."

As the tea kettle slowly began to whistle, Mrs. Otterton rose up and poured two small cups of tea. Handing one to Judy, Mrs. Otterton sat once more next to Judy. After taking a few sips from her cup, Mrs. Otterton continued with her story.

"No one knows how the fire truly started. It happened one evening barely two months ago now if I remember well. Young Sophie had returned home from her boarding school two nights prior for the autumn holiday. Anyway my dear, what many of us still believe was that, Mrs. Wilde had gotten loose from Anna during the course of the night and set fire to the house when,.."

"What happened to Anna?" Judy asked frightfully.

"I am afraid no one knows." Mrs. Otterton replied back. "Her body was never recovered. We think she is still buried somewhere under all the rubble. The third floor had completely collapsed due to the intensity of the fire. "

"So Martha set the fire?" Judy said nervously. "How did you all get out?"

"It was Mr. Wilde who saved us all." Mrs. Otterton replied back. "We would have all died if Mr. Wilde had not risked his own life to ensure we all made it out to safety. But when he went back into the fire to get Mrs. Wilde, the flames had grew so high in the air, mammals from the nearby village said the flames could be seen for miles." Mrs. Otterton rising slowly from her seat, walked toward a small square window along the carriage house wall. Turning her eyes toward the ruins of the manor, she let out a shaking breath. "I still can see her clearly in my mind, Mrs. Wilde, dancing along the upper floor battlements as the fire continued to engulf the house. As the fire rose higher and higher, those of us outside could do nothing but simply watch as she began screaming out words none of us could recognize, as the flames flickered around her. All of us gathered there could hear Mr. Wilde, screaming, begging for her to come down." Turning her gaze from the manor, she stared back at Judy. "I watched as he climbed up along the wall, reaching out for her in between the battlements, yelling for her to grab his hand. Mrs. Wilde just simply stood there, laughing as the fire grew all around the both of them. Mrs. Wilde simply turned away from him, flinging herself off the top battlements to her death below.

"And Nicholas? Judy asked her breathing quickening.

"He simply stood there along the battlements, motionless for a time, his paw still open and outstretched. Unfortunately, as he was rushing back down from the roof, the staircase gave way…and he fell..." Mrs. Otterton suddenly stopped at that moment as she collapsed in tears. Judy, seeing her in distress, quickly rushed to her side. "He is still alive, Judy." Mrs. Otterton said breathing deeply. "He sustained heavy burns to the eyes and muzzle in the fall. Benjamin and a few villagers risked their own lives to find and save him."

"Where is he…please?" Judy asked as she looked into Mrs. Otterton's eyes.

"He moved the household to a modest house in the neighboring county. Please, Judy dear, you look so tired, you need to rest. Leodore will be by in the morning to collect me from the carriage house here." Mrs. Otterton replied back. "But I must warn you, the scars, both inside and out have taken a heavy toll on him, my dear. The doctors have said he may never regain his sight. As for his muzzle, the amount of damage from the fire and fall has caused him to lose his sense of smell."

As the crisp morning sun rose over the cluster of tree along the carriage, Judy and Mrs. Otterton stood both wrapped in their heavy traveling cloaks as an auto car slowly began to make its way up and along the gravel path from the main gate. Smiling happily, Judy raised her paw as she began waving to the tall lion as he brought the auto car to a full stop next them.

"Judy!" Leodore shouted as he quickly exited the driver seat, rushing over to her.

"Leodore, I missed you so much." Judy said jumping up and grabbing hold of him.

"Oh, Judy, I am so happy to see you again." Leodore said as he sat Judy back on her feet. "Mrs. Otterton, did you know?"

"No, Leodore, I was as amazed to see here as you are now." Mrs. Otterton replied back as she slowly began loading the auto car with valuables.

As Judy and Mrs. Otterton slowly arrived at their destination, Judy slowly stared up at the small manor house as she stepped down from the auto car.

"Mrs. Otterton, what is the name of this house?" Judy asked, her eyes transfixed own its ancient stone walls.

"I am not quite sure, my dear." Mrs. Otterton said, stepping down next to her. "Tabitha I think has heard the mammals from the surrounding area call it 'Scatter Lodge', but again, I am not too sure."

Following closely behind Mrs. Otterton, Judy, her paws held tightly together, entered the house. As they entered through the small entryway, a deep voice suddenly called out from the neighboring room.

"Mrs. Otterton? Is that you?" Nick's voice called out.

"Yes, Mr. Wilde." Mrs. Otterton replied back.

"Did you find anything else at the manor?" Nick voice called out once more.

"A few things, sir, but I…" Mrs. Otterton called back, before quickly being interrupted.

"Will you find Tabitha, and have some water brought to me." Nick suddenly called out.

Judy, motioning to Mrs. Otterton to leave her alone, slowly began to walk toward the sound of Nicks voice. Entering the large but simple sitting room, Judy slowly approached Nick as he sat close by the room's large fireplace, a large blue colored blanket lying across him.

"Tabitha? Are you there?" Nick suddenly called out softly, as he began to stare about the room, his ears turning slightly to the sound of Judy's footsteps.

Judy, now fully able to see what the fire had done to him, resisted her primal urge to rush to his side and embrace him.

"Tabitha?" Nick called out once more.

"Yes, Mr. Wilde I am here." Tabitha suddenly entering the room stopped in complete shock as she caught sight of Judy, nearly dropping the tray she was carrying.

Judy, motioning back to Tabitha pressed a paw finger to her lips. Walking up to Tabitha, she smiled widely as she took the glass from the tray as she turned and approached Nick.

"Tabitha, come closer, please." Nick asked, his voice tired, as his head leaned slightly on the side of the wingback chair he sat in. Reaching out with his right arm, Nick searched to find the glass of water Judy held just in front of him. Slowly slipping the glass into Nick waiting paw, Judy watched as Nick began to drink. "Thank you, Tabitha."

"You're welcome, sir." Judy spoke strongly as she smiled back at him.

"Judy?" Nick's head suddenly propped up quickly, his ears raised. Breathing heavily, Nick slowly lowered his head back down against the chair, as he began to tremble with fear. "I have finally gone mad."

Judy, still staring at Nick, looked into the hazed over green eyes she longed so much to see once more. Lowering herself down onto the floor she kneeled next to him. "You are not going mad, sir."

"I am dreaming than." Nick spoke as his head rose once more as his paw reached out searching around him. Grabbing hold of Judy's face, his breathing quickening further, he began feeling her soft fur in his. "Is that Judy's cheek, her lips, her little nose, I feel?" Nick called out as he held her face gently in both paws.

"And her voice, Nicholas. You are not dreaming. I am here by your side." Judy replied back happily grabbing hold of his paws in hers. "I have come back to be your companion…your nurse…your eyes."

"I do not need a companion, nor do I want a nurse!" Nick shouted suddenly as he jerked his hands free. Rising up from his chair, Nick stumbled as he grabbed hold of a side table next to him. Quickly regaining his balance, Nick turned around, unable to fully see Judy except for a slight haze before him. He stood staring toward it. "So you came back have you? I suppose to take some form of pity on a poor defenseless blind fox, have you?"

"No Nicholas. I have thought about you, and fought myself, every day since I left. When I saw Casterly, I feared…" Judy began.

"A complete ruin…much like myself." Nick spoke, interrupting her as he grabbed hold of his ears, pulling at them as his paws began to glide down his face. "

"You are not a ruin, Nicholas. Yes you are wounded, but you still have life left in you, I see it in you, please." Judy replied back pleading.

"So…" Nick said in his raised voice. Grabbing the back of his chair as he walked behind it, trying to find the dark haze Judy was once more. "I would have thought you, of all animals, would have married some young fellow by now."

"It is true, I did meet a fellow mammal that wished to marry me." Judy answered back lightly. "He was an honorable mammal."

"So why are you not with him?" Nick asked back.

"I needed to see you." Judy replied back.

"Well good. Take a good look, Judy. Think how lucky you are to have escaped this…" Nick gestured to himself. "…hideous, blinded, excuse of a fox." Nick said, suddenly bursting into tears.

"I could think of nothing better for me than that." Judy replied as she began to approaching Nick. Grabbing hold of his face, Judy slowly felt Nick's soft red fur as it slid through her paw fingers.

"Please Judy, I am thankful for your visit, but I feel it would to be less painful for the both of us if you would leave me to my misery." Nick softly spoke grabbing hold of her paw and removing it from him.

"I will not go, Nicholas. Say what you will but I wish never to leave your side again, dear sweet Nicholas." Judy replied back as she gently held Nick tightly in her arms. "I want no other mammal, Nicholas, I love you."

"How can you love me as I am now?" Nick asked "How can I take care of you?" Nick said as tears began to fall greater than before.

"Nicholas, you are not your wounds. My only danger is that I will love you more than ever before. You are everything in this world to me." Judy replied back as she laid her head against his chest, feeling his heart beat strongly within him.

"Judy, I feel I will burst if I could only see your face once more." Nick cried out, grabbing hold of her head as he felt the softness of her ears lying against her back.

Raising her face to his, she reached and grabbed his paws in hers. "Here, Nicholas, touch it." Judy placed his paws against her cheeks as her tears began to fall lightly over the back of his paw. "See with your hands, for I will never leave you." Lowering his face down to hers Judy felt the softness of Nick's lips once more against her own. Both of them standing there remained for what seemed a life time, embracing one another, never wishing to let go.

 ** _Epilogue_**

 _Ten years later…_

It had been nearly ten years since the marriage of Nicholas and Judy. As both of them slowly walked along the lonely, shallow creek where they ventured each year, they laughed to one another over the moment many years before, when they first met. As she promised Nick the day she returned to him, wounded and helpless, she never once left his side.

During the latter part of their third year together as mates, slowly, Nick started to regain the use of his right eye. It was not until during their fifth year, when their firstborn was placed into his arms, he was able to see his own likeness looking back at him.

As the two of them stopped along the grass, Judy turned to Nick as she gazed deeply into his eyes. "Do you still love me, Nicholas?"

"I do, without fear or hesitation." Nick said back softly.

"Do you love our son?" Judy asked once more.

"I love him with every breath I take. And I will continue to love him as much as you, my beautiful Judy, who brought him into this life, and gave to me."

Kissing Nick softly on his lips, Judy held tightly to his side as they both stood there along the narrow path, continuing to gaze at the shallow brook.

"Come, my dear." Nick said as he began to lead Judy away. "Sophie and little Charles will start to worry if we do not return soon."


End file.
